Many members of his gens had previously held the highest offices of the state, most famously Marcus Furius Camillus.
However, no sooner had they set out, than the aristocratic party at Rome devised a means for depriving Flaminius, who had earned their ire by passing an agrarian law as tribune of the plebs in 232, of his office.
The aristocrats declared that the consular election was not valid on account of some fault in the auspices; and a letter was forthwith sent to the camp of the consuls, with orders to return to Rome.
Shortly afterwards he received the fleet from Marcus Claudius Marcellus, with which he proceeded to Africa, but having been severely wounded in an engagement off the coast he returned to Lilybaeum.
They reduced to the condition of aerarians all the young nobles who had planned to leave Italy after the battle of Cannae, among whom was Lucius Caecilius Metellus, who was a quaestor in the year of their censorship.