Inspirational Quotes by Appius Claudius Caecus (Roman Politician)

Appius Claudius Caecus (fl. c.312–279 BCE) was a Roman statesman, legal scholar, and writer known for ambitious infrastructure projects and political reforms, shaping early Roman governance and public works.

A member of the patrician Claudius family, Caecus gained prominence as censor in 312 BCE, initiating the Via Appia, Rome’s first major road, and the Aqua Appia, its first aqueduct, improving water supply.

He introduced political reforms, expanding voting rights and admitting lower-class citizens into the Senate, challenging aristocratic dominance. His legal contributions included publishing the legis actiones, making legal procedures more accessible. He authored De Usurpationibus (“Concerning Usurpations,”) though the work is lost.

As consul (307, 296 BCE) and praetor (295 BCE,) he led campaigns against the Etruscans and Samnites. Despite blindness (hence “Caecus,” meaning “the blind,”) he famously opposed peace with Pyrrhus of Epirus, delivering a powerful Senate speech.

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