Gaius Sulpicius Longus was an accomplished general and statesman of the Roman Republic who served as Consul thrice and dictator once during his career, triumphing once over the Samnites and achieving great political success.
However, once news arrived that the Aurunci were forced by the Sidicini to abandon their towns for Suessa, the Senate grew angry at the consuls for their delay in combating this enemy and ordered them to appoint a dictator.
In this year, the Second Samnite War continued and Rome was also attacked by the Apulians, with the senate assigning Sulpicius to the former campaign and Aulius to the latter.
[2] In 314 BC, Sulpicius was elected consul for a third and final time, serving alongside Marcus Poetelius Libo.
By early dawn, Sulpicius and Poetelius entered the now taken city, received the surrender of those in it who survived, and set up a Roman garrison in it.
[3] Next, the consuls turned to combat the Auruncian cities of Ausona, Minturnae, and Vescia, who had recently betrayed Rome to ally with the Samnites.
Upon seeing the Samnites getting into formation, the consuls prepared their own men for battle, with Sulpicius taking command of the right flank and Poetelius presiding over the left.
After this victory, Sulpicius and Poetelius lay siege to the Samnite city of Bovianum before their terms expired and their command was transferred to a dictator appointed by the next year's consuls.
[4][5] In 312 BC, as the war in Samnium seemed to come to an end, rumors started spreading of a potential invasion of Roman territory by the Etruscans, in collaboration with the Samnites.
Because the purpose of his appointment was to defend Roman territory, Sulpicius resolved not to start a campaign unless the Etruscans made the first move.