Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus (consul 201 BC)

Last updated

Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus (consul 201 BC) served as quaestor of the Roman Republic in 212 BC, curule aedile and consul in 201 BC. [1] His brother Lucius Cornelius Lentulus was also consul in 199 BC. Gnaeus was possibly the son of L. Cornelius L. f. L. n. Lentulus Caudinus, curule aedile in 209 BC, though the presence of the praenomen Gnaeus, along with the absence of the agnomen Caudinus, are opposed to this connection.

Contents

Career

He wished for the province of Africa, that he might conclude the war with Carthage; but this well-earned glory was reserved for Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus by the Senate. Lentulus had the command of the fleet on the coast of Sicily, with orders to pass over to Africa if necessary. Scipio used to say, that but for Lentulus' greediness he should have destroyed Carthage. [2] Cn. Lentulus was proconsul in Hither Spain in 199 BC, and received an ovation for his services. [3]

In Book 18 of The Histories, Greek historian Polybius mentions a journey undertaken by Gnaeus Lentulus to meet with King Philip so as to encourage an alliance with Rome. [4]

Related Research Articles

Lucius Cornelius Scipio Asiaticus Roman general and statesman

Lucius Cornelius Scipio Asiaticus was a general and statesman of the Roman Republic. He was the son of Publius Cornelius Scipio and the younger brother of Scipio Africanus. He was elected consul in 190 BC, and later that year led the Roman forces to victory at the Battle of Magnesia.

Lucius Aemilius Paullus Macedonicus Roman general and statesman

Lucius Aemilius Paullus Macedonicus was a two-time consul of the Roman Republic and a noted general who conquered Macedon, putting an end to the Antigonid dynasty in the Third Macedonian War.

The gens Baebia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome. The first member of the gens who obtained the consulship was Gnaeus Baebius Tamphilus, in 182 BC. During the later Republic, the Baebii were frequently connected with the patrician family of the Aemilii.

The gens Fulvia, originally Foulvia, was one of the most illustrious plebeian families at ancient Rome. Members of this gens first came to prominence during the middle Republic; the first to attain the consulship was Lucius Fulvius Curvus in 322 BC. From that time, the Fulvii were active in the politics of the Roman state, and gained a reputation for excellent military leaders.

Manlia gens Roman family

The gens Manlia was one of the oldest and noblest patrician houses at Rome, from the earliest days of the Republic until imperial times. The first of the gens to obtain the consulship was Gnaeus Manlius Cincinnatus, consul in 480 BC, and for nearly five centuries its members frequently held the most important magistracies. Many of them were distinguished statesmen and generals, and a number of prominent individuals under the Empire claimed the illustrious Manlii among their ancestors.

Titus Quinctius Flamininus Roman general and statesman

Titus Quinctius Flamininus was a Roman politician and general instrumental in the Roman conquest of Greece.

Gaius Claudius Nero Roman general

Gaius Claudius Nero was a Roman general active during the Second Punic War against the invading Carthaginian force, led by Hannibal Barca. He should not be confused with the Roman Emperor Nero. During a military career that began as legate in 214 BC, he was propraetor in 211 BC during the siege of Capua, before being sent to Spain that same year. He became consul in 207 BC.

Cornelia gens Ancient Roman family

The gens Cornelia was one of the greatest patrician houses at ancient Rome. For more than seven hundred years, from the early decades of the Republic to the third century AD, the Cornelii produced more eminent statesmen and generals than any other gens. At least seventy-five consuls under the Republic were members of this family, beginning with Servius Cornelius Maluginensis in 485 BC. Together with the Aemilii, Claudii, Fabii, Manlii, and Valerii, the Cornelii were almost certainly numbered among the gentes maiores, the most important and powerful families of Rome, who for centuries dominated the Republican magistracies. All of the major branches of the Cornelian gens were patrician, but there were also plebeian Cornelii, at least some of whom were descended from freedmen.

Publius Aelius Paetus was a Roman consul of the late 3rd century BC. He was a prominent supporter and ally of Scipio Africanus, and was elected censor with Africanus in 199.

Hasdrubal Gisco, a latinization of the name ʿAzrubaʿal son of Gersakkun, was a Carthaginian general who fought against Rome in Iberia (Hispania) and North Africa during the Second Punic War.

Marcus Cornelius Cethegus was a Roman Republican consul and censor during the Second Punic War, best known as a political ally of his kinsman Scipio Africanus.

Publius Cornelius Scipio Nasica Corculum Roman consul in 155 BC, pontifex maximus and princeps senatus

Publius Cornelius Scipio Nasica Corculum was a politician of the Roman Republic. Born into the illustrious family of the Cornelii Scipiones, he was one of the most important Roman statesmen of the second century BC, being consul two times in 162 and 155 BC, censor in 159 BC, pontifex maximus in 150 BC, and finally princeps senatus in 147 BC.

Publius Licinius Crassus Dives was consul in 205 BC with Scipio Africanus; he was also Pontifex Maximus since 213 or 212 BC, and held several other important positions. Licinius Crassus is mentioned several times in Livy's Histories. He is first mentioned in connection with his surprising election as Pontifex Maximus, and then several times since in various other capacities.

Publius Sempronius C.f. Tuditanus was a Roman Republican consul and censor, best known for leading about 600 men to safety at Cannae in August, 216 BC and for the Treaty of Phoenice which ended the First Macedonian War, in 205 BC.

Battle of Utica (203 BC)

The Battle of Utica was fought in 203 BC between armies of Rome and Carthage during the Second Punic War. Through a surprise attack, the Roman commander Scipio Africanus managed to destroy a numerous force of Carthaginians and their Numidian allies not far from the outflow of the Medjerda River in modern Tunisia. Thus he gained a decisive strategic advantage, switched the focus of the war from Italy and Iberia to Carthaginian north Africa, and contributed largely to the final Roman victory.

Quintus Minucius Thermus was a Roman statesman and military commander.

Indibilis and Mandonius Iberian chieftains

Indibilis and Mandonius were chieftains of the Ilergetes, an ancient Iberian people based in the Iberian Peninsula. Polybius speaks of the brothers as the most influential and powerful of the Iberian chieftains in that time period. Livy calls one of the chieftains of the Ilergetes "Indibilis", while Polybius gives "Andobales" for the same person. They agree that his brother chieftain was Mandonius.

Scipio Africanus Roman general and politician (236/235–183 BC)

Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus was a Roman general and statesman, most notable as one of the main architects of Rome's victory against Carthage in the Second Punic War. Often regarded as one of the best military commanders and strategists of all time, his greatest military achievement was the defeat of Hannibal at the Battle of Zama in 202 BC. This victory in Africa earned him the surname Africanus.

The gens Helvia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome. This gens is first mentioned at the time of the Second Punic War, but the only member of the family to hold any curule magistracy under the Republic was Gaius Helvius, praetor in BC 198. Soon afterward, the family slipped into obscurity, from which it was redeemed by the emperor Pertinax, nearly four centuries later.

Lucius Veturius Philo was a curule aedile in 210 BC, praetor of Cisalpine Gaul in 209 BC, propraetor of the same province in 208 BC, consular legate in 207 BC, consul in 206 BC, and magister equitum in 205 BC. He was renowned for having been the first to announce to the Roman Senate the news of the great victory won over Hannibal Barca at the Battle of Zama, which ended the Second Punic War.

References

Citations

  1. Livy 2018, pp. xxv.17, xxix.11, xxx.40–44.
  2. Livy 2018, pp. xxx.40–44.
  3. Livy 2018, pp. xxxi.50, xxxiii.27.
  4. Polybius 2012, p. 223.

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain :  Smith, William, ed. (1870). "Lentulus (11)". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology . 2. p. 729.

Bibliography

Political offices
Preceded by Roman consul
201 BC
with Publius Aelius Paetus
Succeeded by