Aulus Atilius Caiatinus
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Aulus Atilius Caiatinus was the son of Aulus Atilius Calatinus, who had been accused of betraying the city of Sora in the Samnite Wars. Standing in disgrace of his imminent condemnation, he was saved by a few timely words from the great Q. Fabius Rullianus (the first Maximus and at that time (306) the thrice Consul and acting Praetor), his very father in law. It was Fabius' assertion that he would have never continued his relationship (as Patron) had he believed Atilius was guilty of such a crime. The Plebeian Atilii were therefore clients of the Fabii. Thus, our present Atilius was the grandson, on his mothers side, of Fabius Rullianus. The Atilius Catatinii were cousins of the other famous Atilii, the Atilii Regulii. Catalinus is clearly a congomina referring to Calatia, 6 miles southwest of Capua. This region had been conquered during the consulship of the first named Atilius, Marcus Atilius Regulus Calenus, in 335 BC. Since his colleague, the Patrician Valerius, actually conquered Cales, it is likely that Atilius actually came from there. Pottery from the region indicates the name K. and N. Atilius are from the region near Capua. Interestingly, the forenames Kaeso and Numercius, Atilii names, are unique of all Patrician clans to the Fabii. The Atilii were the leading family of Campania at the time of their gaining citizenship and the surname Regulus might refer to their regal position in that society. Fabii ownership of large land holding in Falernia probably resulted from the treaty of 340 in which Capuan lands north of the Volturnus were ceded to Rome.(Munzer)
Consul in 258, celebrated triumph as Praetor in 257, reelected Consul in 254, and Censor in 247. Both he and Scipio Asina captured Panormus in 254, but only Asina triumphed. In 249, following the disastrous naval losses of Claudius Pulcher and Iunius Pullus (Pulcher was fined 120,000 asses and his colleague committed suicide), with both Consuls now unfit for command, he was elected Dictator and led a army into Sicily, becoming the first Dictator to lead a Roman army outside Italy. He dedicated temples to Spes (the personification of hope and safety of the young) in the forum Holitorium (the vegetable-market whose limits were the Capitoline hill to the north, the river to the south, the Servian wall to the west and the forum Boarium (Cattle-market) to the east) and Fides (the personification of good faith whose symbol is a pair of covered hands symbolizing an agreement) on the Capitol.de:Aulus Atilius Caiatinus