Appius Claudius Pulcher (consul 38 BC)
Encyclopedia
Appius Claudius Pulcher was a Roman
politician. An early supporter of Augustus
, he was elected consul
in 38 BC
.
branch of the Claudii family, Pulcher originally bore the name Gaius Claudius Pulcher, and was the natural born son of Gaius Claudius Pulcher, a praetor
in 56 BC
. Upon his adoption by his uncle Appius Claudius Pulcher, the consul of 54 BC, he took his adopted father’s praenomen
. He, along with his natural born brother, also called Appius Claudius Pulcher, prosecuted Titus Annius Milo
in 51 BC
for the murder of Publius Clodius Pulcher
, and managed to convict him with the help of Pompey
.
Originally a supporter of Mark Antony
following the death of Julius Caesar
, Pulcher had some sympathy towards the Liberatores, and showed some willingness to join Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus
. However, by 38 BC
, the year he was elected consul
, he had attached himself to the cause of Octavianus
, one of the earliest patricians to publically join the heir of Julius Caesar. This alliance came about as a result of the marriage of Octavianus to the aristocratic Livia Drusilla
, and by doing so, he attached his auctoritas
to Octavianus’s rising power and fortune, and was greatly rewarded by Octavianus in the years to come.
In 36 BC
, during Octavianus’s war with Sextus Pompey, Pulcher was given command of the rear guard of Octavian’s fleet as it sailed from Puteoli, which then suffered some damage in a storm. Then in 34 BC
, he was proconsul
in one of the provinces in Hispania
where he remained for two years, during which time he was awarded the title imperator
. In 32 BC
, Pulcher was back in Rome
where he celebrated a triumph
on 1 June. After this, Pulcher was given no further military commands, and by 31 BC
he had been made a member of the Septemviri Epulones
.
Pulcher had at least one son, who may have been put to death by the emperor Augustus
on charges of adultery with the emperor’s daughter Julia
.
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
politician. An early supporter of Augustus
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
, he was elected consul
Roman consul
A consul served in the highest elected political office of the Roman Republic.Each year, two consuls were elected together, to serve for a one-year term. Each consul was given veto power over his colleague and the officials would alternate each month...
in 38 BC
38 BC
Year 38 BC was either a common year starting on Sunday or Monday or a leap year starting on Saturday, Sunday or Monday of the Julian calendar and a common year starting on Sunday of the Proleptic Julian calendar...
.
Biography
A member of the patricianPatrician
The term patrician originally referred to a group of elite families in ancient Rome, including both their natural and adopted members. In the late Roman Empire, the class was broadened to include high council officials, and after the fall of the Western Empire it remained a high honorary title in...
branch of the Claudii family, Pulcher originally bore the name Gaius Claudius Pulcher, and was the natural born son of Gaius Claudius Pulcher, a praetor
Praetor
Praetor was a title granted by the government of Ancient Rome to men acting in one of two official capacities: the commander of an army, usually in the field, or the named commander before mustering the army; and an elected magistratus assigned varied duties...
in 56 BC
56 BC
Year 56 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Lentulus and Philippus...
. Upon his adoption by his uncle Appius Claudius Pulcher, the consul of 54 BC, he took his adopted father’s praenomen
Praenomen
The praenomen was a personal name chosen by the parents of a Roman child. It was first bestowed on the dies lustricus , the eighth day after the birth of a girl, or the ninth day after the birth of a boy...
. He, along with his natural born brother, also called Appius Claudius Pulcher, prosecuted Titus Annius Milo
Titus Annius Milo
Titus Annius Milo Papianus was a Roman political agitator, the son of Gaius Papius Celsus, but adopted by his maternal grandfather, Titus Annius Luscus...
in 51 BC
51 BC
Year 51 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Marcellus and Sulpicius...
for the murder of Publius Clodius Pulcher
Publius Clodius Pulcher
Publius Clodius Pulcher was a Roman politician known for his popularist tactics...
, and managed to convict him with the help of Pompey
Pompey
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, also known as Pompey or Pompey the Great , was a military and political leader of the late Roman Republic...
.
Originally a supporter of Mark Antony
Mark Antony
Marcus Antonius , known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general. As a military commander and administrator, he was an important supporter and loyal friend of his mother's cousin Julius Caesar...
following the death of Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
, Pulcher had some sympathy towards the Liberatores, and showed some willingness to join Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus
Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus
Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus was a Roman politician and general of the 1st century BC and one of the leading instigators of Julius Caesar's assassination...
. However, by 38 BC
38 BC
Year 38 BC was either a common year starting on Sunday or Monday or a leap year starting on Saturday, Sunday or Monday of the Julian calendar and a common year starting on Sunday of the Proleptic Julian calendar...
, the year he was elected consul
Roman consul
A consul served in the highest elected political office of the Roman Republic.Each year, two consuls were elected together, to serve for a one-year term. Each consul was given veto power over his colleague and the officials would alternate each month...
, he had attached himself to the cause of Octavianus
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
, one of the earliest patricians to publically join the heir of Julius Caesar. This alliance came about as a result of the marriage of Octavianus to the aristocratic Livia Drusilla
Livia
Livia Drusilla, , after her formal adoption into the Julian family in AD 14 also known as Julia Augusta, was a Roman empress as the third wife of the Emperor Augustus and his adviser...
, and by doing so, he attached his auctoritas
Auctoritas
Auctoritas is a Latin word and is the origin of English "authority." While historically its use in English was restricted to discussions of the political history of Rome, the beginning of phenomenological philosophy in the twentieth century expanded the use of the word.In ancient Rome, Auctoritas...
to Octavianus’s rising power and fortune, and was greatly rewarded by Octavianus in the years to come.
In 36 BC
36 BC
Year 36 BC was either a common year starting on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday or a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar and a common year starting on Wednesday of the Proleptic Julian calendar...
, during Octavianus’s war with Sextus Pompey, Pulcher was given command of the rear guard of Octavian’s fleet as it sailed from Puteoli, which then suffered some damage in a storm. Then in 34 BC
34 BC
Year 34 BC was either a common year starting on Friday, Saturday or Sunday or a leap year starting on Friday or Saturday of the Julian calendar and a common year starting on Friday of the Proleptic Julian calendar...
, he was proconsul
Proconsul
A proconsul was a governor of a province in the Roman Republic appointed for one year by the senate. In modern usage, the title has been used for a person from one country ruling another country or bluntly interfering in another country's internal affairs.-Ancient Rome:In the Roman Republic, a...
in one of the provinces in Hispania
Hispania
Another theory holds that the name derives from Ezpanna, the Basque word for "border" or "edge", thus meaning the farthest area or place. Isidore of Sevilla considered Hispania derived from Hispalis....
where he remained for two years, during which time he was awarded the title imperator
Imperator
The Latin word Imperator was originally a title roughly equivalent to commander under the Roman Republic. Later it became a part of the titulature of the Roman Emperors as part of their cognomen. The English word emperor derives from imperator via Old French Empreur...
. In 32 BC
32 BC
Year 32 BC was either a common year starting on Monday or Tuesday or a leap year starting on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday of the Julian calendar and a common year starting on Monday of the Proleptic Julian calendar...
, Pulcher was back in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
where he celebrated a triumph
Roman triumph
The Roman triumph was a civil ceremony and religious rite of ancient Rome, held to publicly celebrate and sanctify the military achievement of an army commander who had won great military successes, or originally and traditionally, one who had successfully completed a foreign war. In Republican...
on 1 June. After this, Pulcher was given no further military commands, and by 31 BC
31 BC
Year 31 BC was either a common year starting on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday or a leap year starting on Tuesday or Wednesday of the Julian calendar and a common year starting on Tuesday of the Proleptic Julian calendar...
he had been made a member of the Septemviri Epulones
Epulones
The epulones formed one of the four great religious corporations of ancient Roman priests. The two most important colleges were the College of Pontiffs and the augurs; the fourth was the quindecimviri sacris faciundis...
.
Pulcher had at least one son, who may have been put to death by the emperor Augustus
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
on charges of adultery with the emperor’s daughter Julia
Julia the Elder
Julia the Elder , known to her contemporaries as Julia Caesaris filia or Julia Augusti filia was the daughter and only biological child of Augustus, the first emperor of the Roman Empire. Augustus subsequently adopted several male members of his close family as sons...
.
Sources
- T. Robert S. BroughtonThomas Robert Shannon BroughtonThomas Robert Shannon Broughton was a Canadian classical scholar and leading Latin prosopographer of the twentieth century. He is especially noted for his definitive three-volume work, Magistrates of the Roman Republic ....
, The Magistrates of the Roman Republic, Vol II (1952). - Syme, Ronald, The Roman Revolution (1939)
- Anthon, Charles & Smith, William, A New Classical Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography, Mythology and Geography (1860).