FLAIVIIN'IUS, GAIL'S ( ?-n.c. 217). A Roman general, renowned in the Gallic and Hannibalic wars, and as builder of the Via Flaminia, and of the Circus Flaminius at Rome. Descended from high plebeian stock, lie was the most illustrious member of his family. We first hear of him as tribune of the people (tribunes plebis), in B.C. 232, when his energies were wholly employed in opposition to the Senatorial or Conservative Party. He proposed and carried an agrarian law for the division among the plebeians of the re cently conquered lands of Pieenum, and of the Senonian Gauls. As prietor in 227, lie received the government of the Province of Sicily, which he administered well. In 223 lie was consul with I'. Furius Philus, and took the field against the Gauls of northern Italy, who, frightened at the above-mentioned division of Gallic lands and fearing similar attempts on their own territories, had broken into hostilities against Rome. As soon as Flaminius with his army left the city, his political enemies set about to secure the an nullment of his election on religious grounds. Just as the consuls were preparing battle with the Insubrian Gauls, a dispatch arrived from Rome with orders to return at once; but it was riot opened until Flaminius had gained a signal victory on the banks of the Adda. Upon learning
the purport of the dispatch, Furius at once left the field; hut Flaminius refused to obey until he brought the campaign to a successful ending. Ile was summoned before the Senate to answer for his disobedience, but the admiring populace accorded him a triumph. In 221 he was magister equition to the dictator, M. Minucius Rufus: but, owing to an unfavorable omen, both were soon forced to abdicate. In 220 lie was censor with L. Eulltox Papus, and constructed the great high way from Rome to Fanum Fortuna (Fano), on the Adriatic Sea, called after him Via Flaminia. In 21S he gained the further enmity of the con servatives by supporting a proposal of Q. Clau dius that senators should have no commercial dealings. Elected consul again for the year 217, lie took command of the army to cheek the ad vance of Hannibal, and in his baste to leave the city he neglected to observe the customary reli gious formalities. In order to block Hannibal's march, he led his troops from Ariminum (Rim ini) to Arretium (Arezzo), but was caught un prepared on the shores of Lake Trasimenus, and was killed in a three hours' battle, in which 15,000 of his troops perished.