Dictator was a constitutional office under the Republic. It granted absolute and unquestionable power for six months, and required the Senate to pass a decree authorizing the consuls to appoint someone. The law establishing the office was passed in 501 BC, five years after the Republic was founded.
Neither Crassus, Pompey nor Marius ever held this office, although Marius briefly held unconstitutional absolute power, acting functionally as a dictator in today's misuse of the word. Also Pompey and Crassus were triumvirs with Caesar, and thus held a joint unconstitutional dictatorship, again in the modern sense. The Roman dictatorship was by definition held by only one man, so the triumvirs weren't really dictators.
Sulla and Caesar both became dictator using violently unconstitional means and also held office long beyond the constitutionally prescribed six months, Caesar eventually appointing himself dictator for life.
The term Imperator, which later became Emperor, was an acclamation made of a victorious general on the field of battle by his troops. It is roughly translated "commander," and implied their acknowledgement of his earning of this title.
Hundreds of Romans were acclaimed Impertor before Augustus came along. Being acclaimed Imperator on the field of battle was a pre-requisite for a general to receive a triumph.
As far as I know, Horatius was never a dictator, or even a politician. One story is that he drowned trying to get back across the river.
The two of you disagree. Of course the Romans were called what they were called in Latin. Of course in English what ever they were called can be translated as “dictator” or as “victorious commander”, or “Winner of the Grass Crown”. Depending by your English definition, different people will fall into different categories.
Here is one dictator who did it right!
“Cincinnatus served as consul in 460 BC. During his consulship, Cincinnatus fought the Plebeian Tribune Gaius Terentilius Harsa. During this time period, the Roman senate was preoccupied with a war against a people called the Volsci, from a neighboring Italian city. Terentilius attempted to use this opening to push for a series of laws that would benefit the plebeians at the expense of the aristocracy. Cincinnatus was able to stop Terentilius from enacting his laws.
When the year 460 BC ended, Cincinnatus retired from politics, and went home to his farm.
In 457 BC, the Romans were fighting a tribe known as the Aequians, who lived near Rome. The consul Minucius Esquilinus had led an army to fight the Aequians. However, Minucius’ army had been trapped by the Aequians in the Alban Hills, and was attempting to fight off a siege. A few Roman horsemen escaped, and returned to Rome to tell the senate what had happened. The senate fell into a panic. As such, they authorized the other consul for the year, Horatius Pulvillus, to nominate a dictator. Horatius nominated Cincinnatus for a dictatorial term of six months.
A group of senators was sent to tell Cincinnatus that he had been nominated dictator. According to Livy, the senators found Cincinnatus while he was plowing on his farm. They said to Cincinnatus that they hoped “It might turn out well for both him and his country”, and then they asked him to put on his senatorial toga and hear the mandate of the senate. Cincinnatus cried out “Is everything all right?” He called out to his wife, telling her to bring him his toga from their cottage.
When he put on his toga, the senatorial delegation hailed him as dictator, and told him to come to the city. The delegation told him of the situation. Cincinnatus knew that his departure might mean starvation for his family if the crops went unsown in his absence. But he assented to the request anyway. He then crossed the Tiber river in a boat provided by the senate, as his farm was on the far side of the river. When he reached the other side of the Tiber, he was greeted by his three sons and most of the senators. Several lictors were given to him for protection.
The next morning, Cincinnatus went to the forum, and nominated Lucius Tarquitius Master of the Horse (his chief deputy). Tarquitius was considered to be one of the finest soldiers in Rome. Cincinnatus then went to the popular assembly, and issued an order. He ordered everyone of military age to report to the Campus Martius (Field of Mars) by the end of the day.
Once the army assembled, Cincinnatus took them to fight the Aequi. Cinncinnatus led the infantry in person, while Tarquitius led the cavalry. The Aequi were surprised by the double attack, and were soon cut to pieces. The commanders of the Aequi begged Cincinnatus to not slaughter them all.
Cincinnatus did not want to cause any unnecessary bloodshed. He told Aequi that he would let them live if they submitted to him. He said that their general, Gracchus Cloelius, as well as his officers, would have to be brought to him in chains. When this occurred, a yoke was set up. The yoke was made up of three spears, and the Aequi had to pass under it, while confessing that they had been conquered. Once this occurred, the war ended, and Cincinnatus disbanded his army. He then resigned his dictatorship and returned to his farm, a mere sixteen days after he had been nominated dictator.
His immediate resignation of his absolute authority with the end of the crisis has often been cited as an example of good leadership, service to the public good, civic virtue, and modesty. He came out of retirement again during his second term as dictator (439 BC) to put down a revolt by the plebeians. After the war Cincinnatus left the job and picked back up where he left off, working at a farm.”
ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cincinnatus