REGULUS, re-gli-Ins. x. M. Arimus, -/r us, celebrated for his simplicity of life, fru gality, and heroic conduct in the first Punic war ; was consul 267 B.C., when he conquered the Sallentines ; when consul a second time, 256, with his colleague L. Manlius Vulso Longus, he crossed over to Africa, defeating the Cartha ginian fleet on the way, off EcnOrnos, in southern Sicily, and landed near CIupea, which the consuls made their head-quarters, whence they ravaged the Carthaginian territory. Regulus remained with half the army in Africa during the winter, and, 255, followed into the hilly districts the Carthaginian army under Has Bostar, and Hamilcar, which he attacked and utterly routed, and took Tunis ; but in 255, Xanthippus, a Spartan mercenary officer, having been appointed Carthaginian general, attacked Regulus in the plain, utterly routed his forces, of whom scarcely 2,000 escaped safely to Clupea, and took Regulus himself prisoner ; Regulus remained in con finement till, after the great Roman victory gained by L. Cmcillus Metellus under the walls of Panormus, 25o, the Carthaginians, dispirited, sent an embassy to Rome to solicit peace, and sent Regulus along with the ambas sadors, after having exacted a promise from him that he would return if their offers were declined. When Regulus was asked his
opinion by the senators, he dissuaded them from peace, and diverted their thoughts from his probable fate by saying that the Car thaginians had administered to him a slow poison, and that therefore in any case his hours were numbered. When he returned to Carthage he was, according to the common story, confined in a barrel studded over with iron nails till he perished ; and others add that, when placed in the barrel, his eyelids were cut off, and he was first placed in a dark dungeon and then exposed to the burning rays of the sun. His family inflicted cruel reprisals on the Carthaginian prisoners in their custody. 2. C. ATILIUS, SERRANUS, ser-rd'-nus, consul 257 B.C., in the first Punk war, defeated the Carthaginian fleet off LipIra, and when consul a second time, 250, with L. Manlius Vulso, he began the siege of Lilybmum, which continued for the remaining years of the war.