Fabius a patrician (upper-class) family of the Roman Republic.

is the earliest known patrician painter. He painted murals on the Temple of Health in the late fourth century B.C.

(275? B.C. -203 B.C.) was a Roman consul and general. He was surnamed Cunctator (“delayer”). After Hannibal invaded Italy during the Second Punic War and won the Battle of Lake Trasimeno (217 B.C.) Fabius, because of his own meager forces, chose to obstruct and harass the invaders rather than to give battle. He resigned at the end of his legal term, and the Romans abandoned his tactics. The result was a crushing defeat at Cannae (216). Fabius was then recalled and resumed his tactics during 215–214.

The term Fabian—meaning a policy of delay and caution—is derived from these events. General George Washington is called “the American Fabius” for his use of Fabian tactics in 1776–77 during the American Revolution.

(254? B.C.-?) is the earliest-known Roman historian. His history extended from Rome's legendary founding in 753 B.C. to the end of the Second Punic War (201 B.C.). It was widely read in Roman times but has been lost.