3. C.HostiliusMancinus, probably a brother of No. 2, was consul in B. C. 137 with M. Aemilius Lepidus Porcina, and had the conduct of the war against Numantia. Its unsuccessful issue was foretold the consul by many prodigies. He was defeated by the Numantines in several engagements, and at length, being entirely surrounded by the enemy, he negotiated a peace, through the intervention of his quaestor Tib. Gracchus, who was greatly respected by the enemy. Appian says that this peace contained the same terms for the Romans and Numantines; but as it must in that case have recognised the independence of the latter, the senate refused to recognise it, and went through the hypocritical ceremony of delivering over the consul
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bound and naked to the enemy, by means of the fetiales. This was done with the consent of Mancinus, but the enemy refused to accept him. On his return to Rome Mancinus took his seat in the senate, as heretofore, but was violently expelled from it by the tribune P. Rutilius, on the ground that he had lost his citizenship. As the enemy had not received him, it was a disputed question whether he was a citizen or not by the Jus Postlinii (see Dict. of Ant. s.v. Postliminium), but the better opinion was that he had lost his civic rights, and they were accordingly restored to him by a lex. According to Aurelius Victor, he is said to have been subsequently elected praetor. (Appian, App. Hisp. 79-83; Liv. Epit. 55; Oros. 5.4; Obsequ. 83; V. Max. 1.6.7; Vell. 2.1; Flor. 2.18; Eutrop. 4.17; Plut. TG 5; Dio Cass. Fragm. 164, ed. Reimar; Aurel. Vict. Vir. Illustr. 59; Cic. de Rep. 3.18, de Off 3.30, de Orat. 1.40, 56, 2.32, pro Caec. 33, Topic. 8; Dig 50. tit. 7. s. 17.)