Marcus Atilius Regulus (consul 294 BC)

Marcus Atilius Regulus was a Roman statesman at the beginning of the 3rd century BC, from the gens Atilia.

He was probably the son of the consul of 335, Marcus Atilius Regulus Calenus, and was elected along with Lucius Postumius Megellus consul in the year 294. He came by the Samnites in strong distress and lost 730 men; until the arrival of his colleagues led the retreat of the enemy. At the march on Luceria in Apulia he was attacked again by the Samnites, and could only with great difficulty to keep the upper hand. The events are shown in great detail in Livy: The victory is to consecrate a temple only after the promise of Regulus, Jupiter Stator, have succeeded; total, the Romans had but to complain Fallen 7800. Following that Regulus could defeat another Samnite army which had advanced against Interamna, and relieve him of the booty. For the conduct of the elections, he returned to Rome, where he applied for the triumph of the Senate, however, refused.

The events of the year, 294 were assigned in the annals of the two consuls in different ways. In contradiction to Livy the fasti triumphant record, however, a triumph of Regulus on March 28, 293 on the inhabitants of Volsinii and the Samnites. The there is also called, the day before celebrated triumph of his counterparts on the Samnites and Etruscans is confirmed by Livy, as Megellus this, relying on the people, against the express wishes of the Senate had been able to prevail.

293 Regulus was praetor, then it is no longer mentioned. His son Gaius Atilius Regulus reached 257 and 250, the consulate. The Consul of the years 267 and 256, Marcus Atilius Regulus, came from a branch of the Atilii Reguli.