Gaius Octavius Appius Suetrius Sabinus

Last updated

Gaius Octavius Appius Suetrius Sabinus (fl. 3rd century) was a Roman senator and military officer who was appointed consul twice, firstly in AD 214, and secondly in AD 240.

Contents

Biography

Originating from the town of Histonium, and the son of a senator, Suetrius Sabinus began his senatorial career under the reign of the emperor Septimius Severus. His first role was as a member of the Decemviri Stlitibus Iudicandis which he filled around AD 193 or 194. He then stood as one of the imperial candidates for the office of Quaestor in AD 201, before again standing for the office of Plebeian Tribune in AD 203. He was eventually elected to the office of praetor de liberalibus causis in AD 206. [1]

Suetrius Sabinus was next sent as a Legatus to Africa before returning to Rome to act as curator viarum viae Latinae novae (or curator of the Via Latina) from AD 209 to 210. His next posting was as iuridicus per Aemiliam et Liguriam , which he held from AD 210 to 211.

Suetrius Sabinus then served under the new emperor Caracalla during his campaign against the Alamanni from AD 211 to 213. At first he was a Legatus legionis of the Legio XXII Primigenia, serving in Germania Superior before he was promoted to the rank of praepositus vexillarii of Legio XI Claudia. [2] By AD 213, he was the Comes in expeditione Germanica (or head of the expedition against the Germanic tribes) before being appointed for a three-month stint as imperial legate of the province of Raetia, serving from October to December 213.

An amicus (or intimate friend) of the emperor Caracalla, Suetrius Sabinus was appointed consul ordinarius alongside Lucius Valerius Messalla Apollinaris in AD 214. The fact that his first consulate was an ordinary one, not suffect, reinforces the notion that he was held in high regard by Caracalla. [3] After his consulship, Caracalla appointed Suetrius Sabinus as a iudex (judge representing the emperor) in an unknown province, followed by a period as praefectus alimentorum (or the officer in charge of Rome's food supply).

Suetrius Sabinus next served as a Corrector, under the title of electus ad corrigendum statum Italiae, from AD 215 to 216. This was an exceptional appointment in terms of its function; it may be that his principal task was to deal with a breakdown of law and order in Italy during that time, with a rise in banditry afflicting the countryside. It is also possible that he was tasked with fixing the finances in the Italian communities, as the effects of Caracalla's taxes were causing major difficulties throughout Italy. [4]

From AD 216 to 217, Suetrius Sabinus served as the imperial legate of Pannonia Inferior, but he was replaced on the orders of the new emperor Macrinus after the murder of Caracalla. He seemed to fall out of favour for a time, but eventually he was recalled and appointed as the Proconsular governor of Africa Proconsularis between AD 225 and 230.

X. Loriat believes it is a reasonable conjecture that Suetris Sabinus played a role in the elevation of the young Gordian III in June 238, for he was appointed consul ordinarius a second time in 240, alongside Lucius Ragonius Venustus, an honor not bestowed on a private citizen since Gaius Bruttius Praesens in 153 and 180, and on few afterwards. [5]

During his career, Suetrius Sabinus was both an Augur and a member of the College of Pontiffs, thus belonging to two of the four major priestly colleges. He may have lived in a house on the Aventine Hill in Rome. [6]

Related Research Articles

Virius Lupus was a Roman soldier and politician of the late 2nd and early 3rd century.

Lucius Marius Maximus Perpetuus Aurelianus was a Roman biographer, writing in Latin, who in the early decades of the 3rd century AD wrote a series of biographies of twelve Emperors, imitating and continuing Suetonius. Marius's work is lost, but it was still being read in the late 4th century and was used as a source by writers of that era, notably the author of the Historia Augusta. The nature and reliability of Marius's work, and the extent to which the earlier part of the HA draws upon it, are two vexed questions among the many problems that the HA continues to pose for students of Roman history and literature.

Lucius Caesonius Ovinius Manlius Rufinianus Bassus was a Roman military officer and senator who was appointed suffect consul twice, in around AD 260 and 284.

Lucius Valerius Messalla was a Roman senator.

Lucius Valerius Poplicola Balbinus Maximus was a Roman senator.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gaius Vettius Sabinianus Julius Hospes</span> 2nd century Roman senator, general and consul

Gaius Vettius Sabinianus Julius Hospes was a Roman military officer and senator. He was born into the equestrian order, possibly in North Africa. He held the traditional series of military, administrative and judicial positions of steadily increasing responsibility which aspiring upper class Romans were expected to progress through, known as the cursus honorum. He had a long and distinguished military and political career under the reigns of the emperors Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius and Commodus.

Gaius Domitius Dexter was a Roman senator who was appointed consul twice: firstly as suffect consul prior to AD 183, and secondly as ordinary consul in AD 196 with Lucius Valerius Messalla Thrasea Priscus as his colleague.

Gaius Pomponius Bassus Terentianus was a Roman military officer and senator.

Lucius Marius Perpetuus was a Roman military officer and senator who was appointed suffect consul sometime between AD 203 and 214.

Lucius Hedius Rufus Lollianus Avitus was a Roman senator and military officer. He was consul in the year 144 as the colleague of Titus Statilius Maximus.

Quintus Hedius Rufus Lollianus Gentianus was a Roman military officer and senator who was appointed consul suffectus in around AD 186–188.

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

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

Gaius Catius Clemens was a Roman military officer and senator who was appointed suffect consul around AD 235.

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

Gaius Caesonius Macer Rufinianus was a Roman military officer and senator who was appointed suffect consul in around AD 197 or 198. He was the first member of gens Caesonia to hold a consulship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucius Caesonius Lucillus Macer Rufinianus</span> Roman administrator, general and consul

Lucius Caesonius Lucillus Macer Rufinianus was a Roman military officer and senator who was appointed suffect consul probably between AD 225 and 229. Much of what we know about him comes from an inscription found on the base of a statute near Tivoli.

Publius Cornelius Anullinus was one of the generals of the Roman emperor Septimius Severus. He was from the city of Iliberis, and, while there is no clear information around this, it is believed he was not of a patrician family but was one of the equites.

Lucius Ragonius Venustus was an aristocrat of the Roman Empire. He was appointed consul ordinarius in 240. X. Loriot describes Ragonius Venustus as an example of the "new generation of clarissimi" that emerged under the reign of Alexander Severus. As the son and grandson of consuls, he attained the consulate without necessarily having served as military tribune, legate of a legion, or provincial governor, unlike his colleague Gaius Octavius Appius Suetrius Sabinus.

References

  1. ↑ Mennen 2011, p. 125.
  2. ↑ Mennen 2011, pp. 125–126.
  3. ↑ Mennen 2011, p. 126.
  4. ↑ Lo Cascio 2005, p. 168.
  5. ↑ Loriot 1973, p. 255.
  6. ↑ Richardson 1992, p. 135.

Sources

Political offices
Preceded by Consul of the Roman Empire
214
with Lucius Valerius Messalla Apollinaris 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Consul of the Roman Empire
240
with Lucius Ragonius Venustus 		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.