Gaius Caninius Rebilus
Encyclopedia
Gaius Caninius Rebilus, a member of the plebeian gens
Caninia
, was a Roman general and politician. As a reward for devoted service, Julius Caesar
appointed him consul suffectus in 45 BC.
Rebilus, a Novus homo
of the late republic
, served with Julius Caesar throughout the Gallic Wars
and the Civil Wars
. He was Military tribune
in Gaul
in 52 BC
, before becoming one of Caesar's legates
in 51 BC
. During the later stages of the Gallic War he commanded two legions on the southern slope of the heights during the siege of Alesia
, where Caesar's defences were weakest. With great difficulty, and the timely support of Titus Labienus
, he withstood the last major attack on the Roman position there on October 2, 52 BC. The following year he was sent to pursue Cadurci leader Lucterius
, who fled to the stronghold of Uxellodunum
which Rebilus proceeded to besiege. Attempting to emulate the tactics at Alesia, he was forced to deal with repeated sorties which disrupted his attempts to complete his lines. Eventually Caesar made his way there to take overall command of the siege.
Upon the outbreak of the civil war
, Rebilus accompanied him in his march into Italy and he was sent by Caesar to Brundisium as an unsuccessful negotiator to Pompey
. In 49 BC
he was sent by Caesar as a legate under Gaius Scribonius Curio
in the hope that Rebilus would compensate for Curio's lack of military experience. He pushed Curio to take advantage of a break in the enemy lines to achieve victory at the Battle of Utica
,Holmes, III, pg. 103 and after the latter's defeat and death, he was one of the few who escaped from Africa Province
. In the following year (48 BC), it is assumed that he was made Praetor
.
In 46 BC
he again returned to Africa as Proconsul
with Caesar, under whom he served in the Thapsus campaign
, laying siege to Thapsus
and accepting the surrender of Gaius Vergilius, the governor of Africa. The next year he accompagnied Caesar to Spain as his legate, joining him to fight in the last stand of the Republicans at Munda
, after which he occupied the town of Hispalis during the push to drive out the demoralized Republicans.
On the last day of December 45 BC
, the consul Quintus Fabius Maximus
suddenly died and Caesar made Rebilus consul suffectus for the few remaining hours of the year, to the scorn of Cicero
, who commented, "Understand therefore that in the consulship of Caninius no one breakfasted. However, while he was consul there was no harm done, for he was so astonishingly vigilant that throughout his consulship he never closed his eyes."
Gens
In ancient Rome, a gens , plural gentes, referred to a family, consisting of all those individuals who shared the same nomen and claimed descent from a common ancestor. A branch of a gens was called a stirps . The gens was an important social structure at Rome and throughout Italy during the...
Caninia
Caninia (gens)
The gens Caninia was a plebeian family at Rome during the later Republic. The first member of the gens who obtained any of the curule offices was Gaius Caninius Rebilus, praetor in 171 BC; but the first Caninius who was consul was his namesake, Gaius Caninius Rebilus, in 45 BC.-Origin of the...
, was a Roman general and politician. As a reward for devoted service, 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....
appointed him consul suffectus in 45 BC.
Rebilus, a Novus homo
Novus homo
Homo novus was the term in ancient Rome for a man who was the first in his family to serve in the Roman Senate or, more specifically, to be elected as consul...
of the late republic
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...
, served with Julius Caesar throughout the Gallic Wars
Gallic Wars
The Gallic Wars were a series of military campaigns waged by the Roman proconsul Julius Caesar against several Gallic tribes. They lasted from 58 BC to 51 BC. The Gallic Wars culminated in the decisive Battle of Alesia in 52 BC, in which a complete Roman victory resulted in the expansion of the...
and the Civil Wars
Caesar's civil war
The Great Roman Civil War , also known as Caesar's Civil War, was one of the last politico-military conflicts in the Roman Republic before the establishment of the Roman Empire...
. He was Military tribune
Military tribune
A military tribune was an officer of the Roman army who ranked below the legate and above the centurion...
in Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
in 52 BC
52 BC
Year 52 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Pompeius and Scipio...
, before becoming one of Caesar's legates
Legatus
A legatus was a general in the Roman army, equivalent to a modern general officer. Being of senatorial rank, his immediate superior was the dux, and he outranked all military tribunes...
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...
. During the later stages of the Gallic War he commanded two legions on the southern slope of the heights during the siege of Alesia
Battle of Alesia
The Battle of Alesia or Siege of Alesia took place in September, 52 BC around the Gallic oppidum of Alesia, a major town centre and hill fort of the Mandubii tribe...
, where Caesar's defences were weakest. With great difficulty, and the timely support of Titus Labienus
Titus Labienus
Titus Atius Labienus was a professional Roman soldier in the late Roman Republic. He served as Tribune of the Plebs in 63 BC, and is remembered as one of Julius Caesar's lieutenants, mentioned frequently in the accounts of his military campaigns...
, he withstood the last major attack on the Roman position there on October 2, 52 BC. The following year he was sent to pursue Cadurci leader Lucterius
Lucterius
Lucterius was a leader of the Carduci, a Celtic people whose territory was located around Cahors in the modern French department of Lot. In the 50s BC, the Cadurci were under the rule of the Arverni, the civitas of Vercingetorix, under whom Lucterius served during the last stages of the Gallic Wars...
, who fled to the stronghold of Uxellodunum
Uxellodunum
Uxellodunum is an iron age hill fort, or oppidum, located above the river Dordogne near the modern-day French village of Vayrac in the Lot department. This stronghold lay within the lands of the Cadurci tribe...
which Rebilus proceeded to besiege. Attempting to emulate the tactics at Alesia, he was forced to deal with repeated sorties which disrupted his attempts to complete his lines. Eventually Caesar made his way there to take overall command of the siege.
Upon the outbreak of the civil war
Caesar's civil war
The Great Roman Civil War , also known as Caesar's Civil War, was one of the last politico-military conflicts in the Roman Republic before the establishment of the Roman Empire...
, Rebilus accompanied him in his march into Italy and he was sent by Caesar to Brundisium as an unsuccessful negotiator to Pompey
Pompey
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, also known as Pompey or Pompey the Great , was a military and political leader of the late Roman Republic...
. In 49 BC
49 BC
Year 49 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 Marcellus...
he was sent by Caesar as a legate under Gaius Scribonius Curio
Gaius Scribonius Curio
Gaius Scribonius Curio was the name of a father and son who lived in the late Roman Republic.-Father:Gaius Scribonius Curio was a Roman statesman and orator. He was nicknamed Burbulieus for the way he moved his body while speaking...
in the hope that Rebilus would compensate for Curio's lack of military experience. He pushed Curio to take advantage of a break in the enemy lines to achieve victory at the Battle of Utica
Battle of Utica (49 BC)
The Battle of Utica was fought between Julius Caesar's general Gaius Scribonius Curio and Numidian cavalry and foot soldiers sent by King Juba I of Numidia and commanded by Publius Attius Varus...
,Holmes, III, pg. 103 and after the latter's defeat and death, he was one of the few who escaped from Africa Province
Africa Province
The Roman province of Africa was established after the Romans defeated Carthage in the Third Punic War. It roughly comprised the territory of present-day northern Tunisia, and the small Mediterranean coast of modern-day western Libya along the Syrtis Minor...
. In the following year (48 BC), it is assumed that he was made 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 46 BC
46 BC
Year 46 BC was the last year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Caesar and Lepidus . The denomination 46 BC for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe...
he again returned to Africa as 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...
with Caesar, under whom he served in the Thapsus campaign
Battle of Thapsus
The Battle of Thapsus took place on April 6, 46 BC near Thapsus . The Republican forces of the Optimates, led by Quintus Caecillius Metellus Scipio, clashed with the veteran forces loyal to Julius Caesar.-Prelude:...
, laying siege to Thapsus
Thapsus
Thapsus was an ancient city in what is modern day Tunisia. Its ruins exist at Ras Dimas near Bekalta, approximately 200 km southeast of Carthage. Originally founded by Phoenicians, it served as a marketplace on the coast of the province Byzacena in Africa Propria...
and accepting the surrender of Gaius Vergilius, the governor of Africa. The next year he accompagnied Caesar to Spain as his legate, joining him to fight in the last stand of the Republicans at Munda
Battle of Munda
The Battle of Munda took place on March 17, 45 BC in the plains of Munda, modern southern Spain. This was the last battle of Julius Caesar's civil war against the republican armies of the Optimate leaders...
, after which he occupied the town of Hispalis during the push to drive out the demoralized Republicans.
On the last day of December 45 BC
45 BC
Year 45 BC was either a common year starting on Thursday, Friday or Saturday or a leap year starting on Friday or Saturday and the first year of the Julian calendar and a leap year starting on Friday of the Proleptic Julian calendar...
, the consul Quintus Fabius Maximus
Quintus Fabius Maximus (consul 45 BC)
Quintus Fabius Maximus was a general and statesman of the late Roman Republic. He was a member of the patrician gens Fabia...
suddenly died and Caesar made Rebilus consul suffectus for the few remaining hours of the year, to the scorn of Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
, who commented, "Understand therefore that in the consulship of Caninius no one breakfasted. However, while he was consul there was no harm done, for he was so astonishingly vigilant that throughout his consulship he never closed his eyes."
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). - Holmes, T. Rice, The Roman Republic and the Founder of the Empire, Vol II, Oxford University Press, 1923
- Holmes, T. Rice, The Roman Republic and the Founder of the Empire, Vol III, Oxford University Press, 1923
- Syme, Ronald, The Roman Revolution, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1939