Marcus Vinicius (consul 19 BC)
Encyclopedia
Marcus Vinicius (deceased post AD 4) was a Roman
consul
and a prominent general at the service of the first Roman emperor
, Augustus
(ruled 30 BC - AD 14).
Born the son of a Roman knight at Cales
in Regio I (Latium et Campania) of Italia, Vinicius distinguished himself as legatus Augusti pro praetore
(governor) of the Roman province
of Gallia Belgica
in 25 BC, when he led a successful campaign into Germania.
At some point, Vinicius may also have served as governor of the Roman province of Achaea
; an inscription from Corinth, dated to 18-12 BC and honoring his fellow-general, and the Emperor's right-hand man, Agrippa
, reveals that an administrative division of the city had been named the tribus Vinicia, apparently in Vinicius' honor.
In recognition of his services, Vinicius, the archetypal homo novus
, was appointed suffect consul in 19 BC
, replacing C. Sentius Saturninus and holding the office together with Q. Lucretius Vespillo
.
After his consulship, Vinicius continued to be entrusted with important military commands. Starting in 14 or 13 BC, Vinicius served as governor of Illyricum
where he was in charge of the early stages of the Roman conquest of Pannonia
(the bellum Pannonicum, 14-9 BC) until Augustus' stepson and future successor as Emperor, Tiberius
, assumed overall command. During or shortly after that war, he became the first Roman general to campaign on the far side of the river Danube
: he routed an army of Dacians and Bastarnae
and subjugated the Celtic tribes of the Hungarian Plain (ref: inscription AE 1905, no14).
Between AD 1 and 4, Vinicius commanded the 5 legions stationed in Germany. His army fought so successfully that he won the ornamenta triumphalia.
Throughout his life, Vinicius seems to have enjoyed a close friendship with the emperor: the historian Suetonius
quotes a letter by Augustus in which he talks about playing dice with Vinicius and his fellow homo novus, Publius Silius Nerva
. Vinicius' son Publius was Consul in AD 2, and his grandson and namesake Marcus Vinicius was Consul in 30 and the husband of Julia Livilla
, daughter of Germanicus
, nephew of Tiberius.
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
consul
Consul
Consul was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire. The title was also used in other city states and also revived in modern states, notably in the First French Republic...
and a prominent general at the service of the first Roman emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with 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...
(ruled 30 BC - AD 14).
Born the son of a Roman knight at Cales
Cales
Cales was an ancient city of Campania, in today's comune of Calvi Risorta in southern Italy, belonging originally to the Aurunci/Ausoni, on the Via Latina.The Romans captured it in 335 BC and established a colony with Latin rights of 2,500 citizens...
in Regio I (Latium et Campania) of Italia, Vinicius distinguished himself as legatus Augusti pro praetore
Legatus Augusti pro praetore
A legatus Augusti pro praetore was the official title of the governor of some imperial provinces of the Roman Empire during the Principate era, normally the larger ones or those where legions were based...
(governor) of the Roman province
Roman province
In Ancient Rome, a province was the basic, and, until the Tetrarchy , largest territorial and administrative unit of the empire's territorial possessions outside of Italy...
of Gallia Belgica
Gallia Belgica
Gallia Belgica was a Roman province located in what is now the southern part of the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, northeastern France, and western Germany. The indigenous population of Gallia Belgica, the Belgae, consisted of a mixture of Celtic and Germanic tribes...
in 25 BC, when he led a successful campaign into Germania.
At some point, Vinicius may also have served as governor of the Roman province of Achaea
Achaea (Roman province)
Achaea, or Achaia, was a province of the Roman Empire, consisting of the Peloponnese, eastern Central Greece and parts of Thessaly. It bordered on the north by the provinces of Epirus vetus and Macedonia...
; an inscription from Corinth, dated to 18-12 BC and honoring his fellow-general, and the Emperor's right-hand man, Agrippa
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa was a Roman statesman and general. He was a close friend, son-in-law, lieutenant and defense minister to Octavian, the future Emperor Caesar Augustus...
, reveals that an administrative division of the city had been named the tribus Vinicia, apparently in Vinicius' honor.
In recognition of his services, Vinicius, the archetypal homo novus
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...
, was appointed suffect consul in 19 BC
19 BC
Year 19 BC was either a common year starting on Thursday, Friday or Saturday or a leap year starting on Thursday or Friday of the Julian calendar and a common year starting on Wednesday of the Proleptic Julian calendar...
, replacing C. Sentius Saturninus and holding the office together with Q. Lucretius Vespillo
Quintus Lucretius Vespillo
Quintus Lucretius Vespillo was theson of another Quintus Lucretius Vespillo who was an orator and jurist. The elder Lucretius was proscribed by Sulla and murdered....
.
After his consulship, Vinicius continued to be entrusted with important military commands. Starting in 14 or 13 BC, Vinicius served as governor of Illyricum
Illyricum (Roman province)
The Roman province of Illyricum or Illyris Romana or Illyris Barbara or Illyria Barbara replaced most of the region of Illyria. It stretched from the Drilon river in modern north Albania to Istria in the west and to the Sava river in the north. Salona functioned as its capital...
where he was in charge of the early stages of the Roman conquest of Pannonia
Pannonia
Pannonia was an ancient province of the Roman Empire bounded north and east by the Danube, coterminous westward with Noricum and upper Italy, and southward with Dalmatia and upper Moesia....
(the bellum Pannonicum, 14-9 BC) until Augustus' stepson and future successor as Emperor, Tiberius
Tiberius
Tiberius , was Roman Emperor from 14 AD to 37 AD. Tiberius was by birth a Claudian, son of Tiberius Claudius Nero and Livia Drusilla. His mother divorced Nero and married Augustus in 39 BC, making him a step-son of Octavian...
, assumed overall command. During or shortly after that war, he became the first Roman general to campaign on the far side of the river Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
: he routed an army of Dacians and Bastarnae
Bastarnae
The Bastarnae or Basternae were an ancient Germanic tribe,, who between 200 BC and 300 AD inhabited the region between the eastern Carpathian mountains and the Dnieper river...
and subjugated the Celtic tribes of the Hungarian Plain (ref: inscription AE 1905, no14).
Between AD 1 and 4, Vinicius commanded the 5 legions stationed in Germany. His army fought so successfully that he won the ornamenta triumphalia.
Throughout his life, Vinicius seems to have enjoyed a close friendship with the emperor: the historian Suetonius
Suetonius
Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus, commonly known as Suetonius , was a Roman historian belonging to the equestrian order in the early Imperial era....
quotes a letter by Augustus in which he talks about playing dice with Vinicius and his fellow homo novus, Publius Silius Nerva
Publius Silius Nerva
Publius Silius Nerva was a Roman politician and general who was consul in 20 BC.-Biography:Nerva was the son of a senator who had achieved the rank of propraetor...
. Vinicius' son Publius was Consul in AD 2, and his grandson and namesake Marcus Vinicius was Consul in 30 and the husband of Julia Livilla
Julia Livilla
Julia Livilla was the youngest child of Germanicus and Agrippina the Elder and the youngest sister of the Emperor Caligula.-Life:Livilla was the youngest great granddaughter of Emperor Augustus, great-niece and adoptive granddaughter...
, daughter of Germanicus
Germanicus
Germanicus Julius Caesar , commonly known as Germanicus, was a member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty and a prominent general of the early Roman Empire. He was born in Rome, Italia, and was named either Nero Claudius Drusus after his father or Tiberius Claudius Nero after his uncle...
, nephew of Tiberius.
Secondary Sources
- Syme, Ronald (1939). The Roman Revolution. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
- Vogel-Weidemann, Ursula (1982). Die Statthalter von Africa und Asia in den Jahren 14-68 n. Chr.: Eine Untersuchung zum Verhältnis Princeps und Senat. Bonn: Habelt.