Ambustus

the name of a family of the patrician Fabia Gens. The first member of the Fabia gens, who acquired this cognomen, was Q. Fabius Vibulanus, consul in B. C. 412, who appears to have been a son of N. Fabius Vibulanus, consul in B. C. 421. From this time the name Vibulanus was dropt, and that of Ambustus took its place. The latter was in its turn supplanted by that of Maximus, which was first acquired by Q. Fabius, son of No. 7 [see below], and was handed down by him to his descendants.

1. Q. Fabius Vibulanus Ambustus, M. F. Q. N., consul in B. C. 412. (Liv. 4.52.)

2. M. Fabius Ambustus, Pontifex Maximus in the year that Rome was taken by the Gauls, B. C. 390. His three sons [see Nos. 3, 4, and 5] were sent as ambassadors to the Gauls, when the latter were besieging Clusium, and took part in a sally of the besieged against the Gauls. The Gauls demanded that the Fabii should be surrendered to them for violating the law of nations; and upon the senate refusing to give up the guilty parties, they marched against Rome. The three sons were in the same year elected consular tribunes. (Liv. 5.35, 36, 41; Plut. Cam. 17.)

3. K. Fabius Ambustus, M. F. Q. N., son of No. 2 and brother to Nos. 4 and 5, was quaestor in B. C. 409, with three plebeians as his colleagues, which was the first time that quaestors were chosen from the plebs. (Liv. 4.54.) He was consular tribune for the first time in 404 (4.61), again in 401 (5.10), a third time in 395 (5.24), and a fourth time in 390. [See No. 2.]

4. N. Fabius Ambustus, M. F. Q. N., son of No. 2 and brother to Nos. 3 and 5, consular tribune in B. C. 406 (Liv. 4.58), and again in 390. [See No. 2.]

5. Q. Fabius Ambustus, M. F. Q. N., son of No. 2 and brother to Nos. 3 and 4, consular tribune in B. C. 390. [See No. 2.]

6. M. Fabius Ambustus, K. F. M. N., son, as it appears, of No. 3, was consular tribune in B. C. 381. (Liv. 6.22.) He had two daughters, of whom the elder was married to Ser. Sulpicius, and the younger to C. Licinius Stolo, the author of the Licinian Rogations. According to the story recorded by Livy, the younger Fabia induced her father to assist her husband in obtaining the consulship for the plebeian order, into which she had married. (6.34.) Ambustus was consular tribune a second time in 369, and took an active part in support of the Licinian Rogations. (6.36.) He was censor in 363. (Fast. Capitol.)

7. M. Fabius Amibustus, N. F. M. N., son, as it appears, of No. 4, was consul in B. C. 360, and carried on the war against the Hernici, whom he conquered, and obtained an ovation in consequence. (Liv. 7.11; Fast. Triumph.) He was consul a second time in 356, and carried on the war against the Falisci and Tarquinienses, whom he also conquered. As he was absent from Rome when the time came for holding the comitia, the senate, which did not like to entrust them to his colleague, who had appointed a plebeian dictator, and still less to the dictator himself, nominated interreges for the purpose. The object of the patricians was to secure both places in the consulship for their own order again, which was effected by Ambustus, who seems to have returned to Rome meantime. He was appointed the eleventh interrex, and declared two patricians consuls in violation of the Licinian law. (Liv. 7.17.) He was consul a third time in 354, when he conquered the Tiburtes and obtained a triumph in consequence. (7.18, 19; Fast. Triumph.) In 351 he was appointed dictator merely to frustrate the Licinian law again at the comitia, but did not succeed in his object. (Liv. 7.22.) He was alive in 325, when his son, Q. Fabins Maximus Rullianus, was master of the horse to Papirius, and fled to Rome to implore protection from the vengeance of the dictator. He interceded on his son's behalf both with the senate and the people. (8.33.)

8. C. Fabius (C. F. M. N.) Ambustus, consul in B. C. 358, in which year a dictator was appointed through fear of the Gauls. (Liv. 7.12.)

9. M. Fabius Ambustus, M. F. N. N., son apparently of No. 7, and brother to the great Q. Fabius Maximus Rullianus, was master of the horse in B. C. 322. (Liv. 8.38.)

10. Q. Fabius (Q. F. Q. N.) Ambustus, dictator in B. C. 321, but immediately resigned through some fault in the election. (Liv. 9.7.)

11. C. Fabius Ambustus, M. F. N. N., son apparently of No. 7, and brother to No. 9, was appointed master of the horse in B. C. 315 in place of Q. Aulius, who fell in battle. (Liv. 9.23.)

Fabius. (1) Marcus, pontifex maximus in B.C. 388. His three sons, while acting as ambassadors to the Gauls at Clusium, took part against them in the military operations. The Gauls then demanded them of the Senate, as having violated the law of nations; and on receiving a refusal, marched on Rome.

(2) Marcus, a Roman who was thrice consul (B.C. 360, 356, 354) and dictator (B.C. 351). He conquered the Hernici, Falisci, Tarquinians, and Tiburtes in his consulships. His son was the famous Q. Fabius Maximus Rullianus. See Fabius.