Quintus Lucretius Ofella
Encyclopedia
Quintus Lucretius Ofella was a Roman general who served under the command of Lucius Cornelius Sulla
during Sulla's second march on Rome. A loyal legate
who expected to be awarded a consulship
for his part in Sulla's campaign, he was executed when he tried to defy his master's dictate.
, trapped inside the city's walls. Ofella settled down to await the city's eventual surrender, confident that Sulla would win the rest of the campaign.
During the Battle of the Colline Gate
, the left wing of Sulla's army collapsed, and many of them fled all the way to Praeneste, panicked, shouting fearfully that Sulla was dead, Rome in the possession of the enemy, and that the siege of Praeneste must be lifted so they could all retreat. Ofella chose to stand pat, certain Sulla had not lost the battle.
This proved the correct decision, as Sulla, ably assisted by Marcus Licinius Crassus
, had won the battle and the city. Sulla, in control of the city and the Senate, forced them to appoint him dictator
, and continued his campaign to crush the last pockets of resistance. Ofella soon forced the surrender of Praeneste, and presented his master with the head of the younger Marius.
Sulla decided to dispense with elections during his dictatorship, selecting which candidates were to be elected. During the first of these mock elections, he passed over Ofella. Outraged, Ofella began to canvass for the consulship on his own, gathering support. Sulla attempted to stop him, but when Ofella entered the Forum with a large party, Sulla gave up. He sent one of his centurions
down to execute Ofella.
The centurion followed his orders to the letter, and was seized by the crowd. Dragging the centurion to Sulla's tribunal atop the temple of Castor and Pollux, where the dictator had watched the deed carried out, the crowd demanded Sulla condemn the man.
Sulla shrugged off the crowd, bidding them stop their noise, bluntly informing them that he had ordered the task to be done, and that the crowd release his centurion. He concluded his admonition with a cautionary tale: "The lice were very troublesome to a clown, as he was ploughing. Twice he stopped his ploughing and purged his jacket. But he was still bitten, and in order that he might not be hindered in his work, he burnt the jacket; and I advise those who have been twice humbled not to make fire necessary the third time."
Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix , known commonly as Sulla, was a Roman general and statesman. He had the rare distinction of holding the office of consul twice, as well as that of dictator...
during Sulla's second march on Rome. A loyal legate
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...
who expected to be awarded a consulship
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...
for his part in Sulla's campaign, he was executed when he tried to defy his master's dictate.
Career
Ofella was one of Sulla's legates during Sulla's second march on Rome. Apparently a trusted and talented general, Sulla entrusted the siege of Praeneste to him during the campaign, confident that Ofella could defeat Marius the YoungerGaius Marius the Younger
Gaius Marius Minor, also known in English as Marius the Younger or informally "the younger Marius" , was the adopted son of Gaius Marius, who was seven times consul, and a famous military commander. Appian first describes him as the son of the great Marius, but in a subsequent passage, he is...
, trapped inside the city's walls. Ofella settled down to await the city's eventual surrender, confident that Sulla would win the rest of the campaign.
During the Battle of the Colline Gate
Battle of the Colline Gate
The battle of the Colline Gate, fought in November of 82 BC, was the final battle by which Sulla secured control of Rome following the civil war against his rivals. The Samnites led by Pontius Telesinus attacked Sulla's army at the Colline Gate on the northeastern wall, and fought all night before...
, the left wing of Sulla's army collapsed, and many of them fled all the way to Praeneste, panicked, shouting fearfully that Sulla was dead, Rome in the possession of the enemy, and that the siege of Praeneste must be lifted so they could all retreat. Ofella chose to stand pat, certain Sulla had not lost the battle.
This proved the correct decision, as Sulla, ably assisted by Marcus Licinius Crassus
Marcus Licinius Crassus
Marcus Licinius Crassus was a Roman general and politician who commanded the right wing of Sulla's army at the Battle of the Colline Gate, suppressed the slave revolt led by Spartacus, provided political and financial support to Julius Caesar and entered into the political alliance known as the...
, had won the battle and the city. Sulla, in control of the city and the Senate, forced them to appoint him dictator
Roman dictator
In the Roman Republic, the dictator , was an extraordinary magistrate with the absolute authority to perform tasks beyond the authority of the ordinary magistrate . The office of dictator was a legal innovation originally named Magister Populi , i.e...
, and continued his campaign to crush the last pockets of resistance. Ofella soon forced the surrender of Praeneste, and presented his master with the head of the younger Marius.
Sulla decided to dispense with elections during his dictatorship, selecting which candidates were to be elected. During the first of these mock elections, he passed over Ofella. Outraged, Ofella began to canvass for the consulship on his own, gathering support. Sulla attempted to stop him, but when Ofella entered the Forum with a large party, Sulla gave up. He sent one of his centurions
Centurion (Roman army)
A centurion , also hekatontarch in Greek sources, or, in Byzantine times, kentarch was a professional officer of the Roman army after the Marian reforms of 107 BC...
down to execute Ofella.
The centurion followed his orders to the letter, and was seized by the crowd. Dragging the centurion to Sulla's tribunal atop the temple of Castor and Pollux, where the dictator had watched the deed carried out, the crowd demanded Sulla condemn the man.
Sulla shrugged off the crowd, bidding them stop their noise, bluntly informing them that he had ordered the task to be done, and that the crowd release his centurion. He concluded his admonition with a cautionary tale: "The lice were very troublesome to a clown, as he was ploughing. Twice he stopped his ploughing and purged his jacket. But he was still bitten, and in order that he might not be hindered in his work, he burnt the jacket; and I advise those who have been twice humbled not to make fire necessary the third time."