Gaius Catius Clemens

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Gaius Catius Clemens (fl. 3rd century AD) was a Roman military officer and senator who was appointed suffect consul around AD 235.

Roman Empire Period of Imperial Rome following the Roman Republic (27 BC–395 AD)

The Roman Empire was the post-Roman Republic period of the ancient Roman civilization. Ruled by emperors, it had large territorial holdings around the Mediterranean Sea in Europe, North Africa, and West Asia. From the constitutional reforms of Augustus to the military anarchy of the third century, the Empire was a principate ruled from the city of Rome. The Roman Empire was then divided between a Western Roman Empire, based in Milan and later Ravenna, and an Eastern Roman Empire, based in Nicomedia and later Constantinople, and it was ruled by multiple emperors.

Senate of the Roman Empire

The Senate of the Roman Empire was a political institution in the ancient Roman Empire. After the fall of the Roman Republic, the constitutional balance of power shifted from the "Roman Senate" to the "Roman Emperor." Beginning with the first emperor, Augustus, the Emperor and the Senate were technically two co-equal branches of government. In practice, however the actual authority of the imperial Senate was negligible, as the Emperor held the true power of the state. As such, membership in the Senate became sought after by individuals seeking prestige and social standing, rather than actual authority. During the reigns of the first Emperors, legislative, judicial, and electoral powers were all transferred from the "Roman assemblies" to the Senate. However, since the control that the Emperor held over the senate was absolute, the Senate acted as a vehicle through which the Emperor exercised his autocratic powers.

Roman consul High political office in ancient Rome

A consul held the highest elected political office of the Roman Republic, and ancient Romans considered the consulship the highest level of the cursus honorum.

Contents

Biography

Catius Clemens was a member of the third century gens Catia , and it has been speculated that he may have been either the son or grandson of Publius Catius Sabinus (consul in AD 216). [1]

The gens Catia was a plebeian family at Rome from the time of the Second Punic War to the 3rd century AD. The gens achieved little importance during the Republic, but held several consulships in imperial times.

Publius Catius Sabinus was a Roman military officer and senator who was appointed consul twice.

Catius Clemens’ early career is unknown. He was made consul suffectus sometime before AD 238, probably around AD 235. Around this time, between 236 and 238, he was possibly appointed Legatus Augusti pro praetore of the province of Cappadocia. [2]

Legatus Augusti pro praetore

A legatus Augusti pro praetore was the official title of the governor or general of some imperial provinces of the Roman Empire during the Principate era, normally the larger ones or those where legions were based. Provinces were denoted imperial if their governor was selected by the emperor, in contrast to senatorial provinces, whose governors were elected by the Roman Senate.

Roman province Major Roman administrative territorial entity outside of Italy

The Roman provinces were the lands and people outside of Rome itself that were controlled by the Republic and later the Empire. Each province was ruled by a Roman who was appointed as governor. Although different in many ways, they were similar to the states in Australia or the United States, the regions in the United kingdom or New Zealand, or the prefectures in Japan. Canada refers to some of its territory as provinces.

Cappadocia (Roman province) province of the Roman Empire in Anatolia

Cappadocia was a province of the Roman Empire in Anatolia, with its capital at Caesarea. It was established in 17 AD by the Emperor Tiberius, following the death of Cappadocia's last king, Archelaus.

Catius Clemens may have been the brother of Sextus Catius Clementinus Priscillianus, ordinary consul of AD 230 and Lucius Catius Celer, suffect consul c. AD 241.

Sextus Catius Clementinus Priscillianus was a Roman military officer and senator who was appointed consul in AD 230.

Lucius Catius Celer was a Roman military officer and senator who was appointed suffect consul around AD 241.

Sources

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References

  1. Mennen, pg. 94
  2. It is possible that the Legatus appointed to govern Cappadocia was his postulated brother, Sextus Catius Clementinus Priscillianus – see Mennen, pg. 94
Political offices
Preceded by
Uncertain
Consul suffectus of the Roman Empire
around AD 235
Succeeded by
Uncertain