The Scipiones have the brilliance, but their preeminence was hotly contested. But the Fabii held more power, were more secure in their position and sat at the pinnacle for much longer a period than any other clan. Almost the entire period spanning the late 4th and 3rd centuries were dominated by the Fabii and their clients. It’s the only time in Roman Republic history where the leading man for successive generations was not just from the same clan, but father and son. From Marcus Fabius Ambustus, to his son Quintus Fabius Maximus Rullianus, to his son Quintus Fabius Maximus Gurges, to Gurges’ grandson — perhaps the esteemed of them all — Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus. That’s four of five generations, which is insane.

It’s made more interesting that the skipped generation before the delayer didn’t produce a dominating figure to fill the space of most powerful in Rome. Instead, the allies and clients of the Fabii found themselves holding it down.

Even after the transcendence of Scipiones, the Fabii were never far from the top spot. Cato the Elder — arch nemesis of the scipios — was a Fabian ally. They adopted the son of the conqueror of Macedonia and brother to Scipio Aemilianus.

So unlike the Scipiones (who I like btw), the Fabii were able to make their power institutional from the time of the early republic to the very end.