REGULUS, rAg'il-Ifis, Marcus At'Mut, Roman general of the 3d century B. c. He was made consul in 267 B.c., and a second time about 256 B.C. With his colleague, Manlius Vulso, he commanded in the first war against Carthage. With a fleet of 330 ships carrying 40,000 men the consuls defeated a superior Carthaginian fleet in the battle of Ecnomus and effected a landing in Africa. Here Regulus followed up his victories so successfully that in a short time he presented himself before the capital of the enemy. Carthage sued for peace and Regulus who wished to end the war be fore his successor was appointed demanded un conditional submission. The Carthaginians re fusing the terms ended the negotiations and at this juncture were joined by a small body of Spartan volunteers under Xanthippus, to whom was given the command of the Carthaginian forces. In a battle under the walls of Carthage 30,000 Romans fell and Regulus was made pris oner 255. He remained in Carthage till 250, when the Carthaginians, having been defeated at Panormus, were desirous of peace. An em bassy was, therefore, sent to Rome, accom panied by Regulus, who was obliged to bind himself by an oath to return to Carthage, if Rome should refuse the terms proposed. Regu
lus, however, advised the continuance of the war and recommended the Romans not to ex change prisoners. Thereupon he declined to listen to the entreaties of his family or of the Senate and peristed in his intention to return to Carthage. It is related that he was put to death with great cruelty and that Hamilcar and Boscar, two noble Carthaginian prisoners, were given up to the family of Regulus, who took revenge on them in a similar manner. Neither the story of the embassy nor of the revenge is related by Polybius, and Ihne, the German historian, inclines to the modern view that the story was invented to excuse the cruelty of the family of Regulus to their prisoners. Niebuhr declares the story a forgery and be lieves that Regulus died a natural death. Hor ace (Odes' III, 5, repeats eloquently the story as current at the time.