Salinātor, Livius
1.
Marcus, consul B.C. 219, with L. Aemilius Paulus,
carried on war along with his colleague against the Illyrians. On their return to Rome, both
consuls were brought to trial on the charge of having unfairly divided the booty among the
soldiers. Paulus escaped with difficulty, but Livius was condemned. The sentence seems to
have been an unjust one, and Livius took his disgrace so much to heart that he left the city
and retired to his estate in the country, where he lived some years without taking any part
in public affairs (
Livy, xxii. 35). In 210 the consuls compelled
him to return to the city, and in 207 he was elected consul a second time with C. Claudius
Nero. He shared with his colleague in the glory of defeating Hasdrubal on the Metaurus. (For
details, see
Claudius Nero.) Next year (206 B.C.)
Livius was stationed in Etruria, as proconsul, with an army, and his imperium was prolonged
for two successive years. In 204 he was censor with his former colleague
in the consulship, Claudius Nero. The two censors had long been enemies; and their
long-smothered resentment now burst forth, and occasioned a great scandal. Livius, in his
censorship, imposed a tax upon salt, in consequence of which he received the surname of
Salinator, which seems to have been given him in derision, but which became,
notwithstanding, hereditary in his family (
Livy, xxix. 37; Val.
Max. ii. 9, 6; vii. 2, 6).
2.
Gaius, curule aedile B.C. 203, and praetor 202, in
which year he obtained Bruttii as his province. In 193 he fought under the consul against the
Boii, and in the same year was an unsuccessful candidate for the consulship.
3.
Gaius, praetor B.C. 191, when he had the command of
the fleet in the war against Antiochus. He was consul 188, and obtained Gaul as his province
(
Livy, xxxvii. 9-25).
