MANLIUS is the name of a Roman gens, chiefly patrician, but, in later times at least, also containing plebeian families. The Roman historians represent them as intrepid, but stern even to cruelty.
I. Marcus Manlius Capitolinus, a brave and distinguished soldier, was one of the garrison of the Capitol while besieged by the Gauls; when they attempted to scale the rock by night, Manlius, aroused by the cackling of the sacred geese, rushed to the spot and threw down the foremost. Several years after, seeing a centurion led to prison for debt, he freed him with his own money, and even sold his estate to relieve other poor debtors, while he accused the senate of embezzling public money. He was charged with aspiring to kingship, and condemned by the comitia, but not until the assembly had adjourned to a place without the walls, where they could no longer see the Capitol which he had saved. His house on the Capitol was razed, and the Manlii resolved that no patrician Manlius should henceforth bear the name of Marcus....
II. Titus Manlius Imperiosus Torquatus went to the tribune Pomponius, who had brought his father to trial for overstepping the limits of his office, and threatened to kill him unless he desisted from the accusation (365 b.c.). Shortly after he slew a gigantic Gaul in single combat, and took from him a torques or neck-ornament, whence his surname is said to have been derived. When the Latins demanded an equal share in the government of the confederacy, Manlius vowed to kill with his own hand the first Latin he saw in the senate-house. The Latins and Campanians revolted, and Manlius, consul for the third time, marched into Campania and gained two great victories, near Vesuvius (where Decius his colleague devoted himself to gain the day), and at Trifanum. In this campaign Manlius executed his own son, who had killed an enemy in single combat, and thus disobeyed the express command of the consuls.
Both these Manlii belong to a great extent to legend, much of which is probably due to attempts to explain their surnames.
III. Titus Manlius Torquatus in his first consulship (235 b.c. ) subjugated Sardinia, recently acquired from the Carthaginians; he was consul again (224) during the Gallic war. In 216 he opposed the ransoming of the Romans taken prisoners at Cannae; and in 215 he was sent to Sardinia and defeated a Carthaginian attempt to regain possession of the island.
IV. Cnaeus Manlius Vulso, consul in 189 b,c., received Asia as his province. Starting from Ephesus in the spring, he marched into Pamphylia, levying enormous contributions. He then attacked the Celts of Galatia on the pretext that they had aided Antiochus. They took refuge in Mounts Olympus and Magaba, but the missiles of the Roman light troops won each position with great slaughter. In the winter, assisted by ten delegates sent from Rome, he settled the terms of peace with Antiochus. He returned to Rome in 187, and triumphed after much opposition. The discipline of his army was loose, and his soldiers brought into Rome many foreign luxuries.
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