Marcus Livius Salinator

Who was Marcus Livius Salinator?

Marcus Livius Drusus Salinator, the son of Marcus, was a Roman consul who fought in both the First and the Second Punic Wars most notably during the Battle of the Metaurus.

Born in 254 BC, Livius was elected consul of the Roman Republic with Lucius Aemilius Paulus shortly before the Second Illyrian War in 219 BC. After leading a successful campaign against Illyrians, he was charged with malfeasance concerning war spoils during a mission to Carthage and was tried and found guilty upon his return to Rome.

After his removal as consul, he retired from public life for several years, until 210 BC. In 207 BC during the Second Punic War he was again elected consul with Gaius Claudius Nero. Arriving in Narni, Livius attempted to block the advance of the Carthaginian army invading the Italian peninsula. Encountering Carthaginians near Fanum in the spring of 207 BC, Livius, reinforced by the army of his colleague Nero, defeated the Carthaginians in the decisive Battle of the Metaurus, killing their commander Hasdrubal, the brother of Hannibal.

Following the Roman victory, Livius returned to Rome where he and Nero were awarded a triumph in 206 BC.