Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus Clodianus (born 115 BC) [1] was a Roman politician and general who was one of two Consuls of the Republic in 72 BC along with Lucius Gellius. Closely linked to the family of Pompey, he is noted for being one of the consular generals who led Roman legions against the slave armies of Spartacus in the Third Servile War.
Although born into the plebeian Claudii Marcelli family, Clodianus was adopted into the patrician Cornelii Lentuli, [2] possibly as the adoptive son of Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus. [3] A partisan of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, he possibly served under Pompey during Pompey's special commission in Hispania. [4] Elected Praetor around 75 BC, [5] his connections with Pompey ensured that he was elected consul in 72 BC . [6]
Clodianus soon was involved in protecting Pompey's interests, pushing a bill to validate grants of citizenship by Pompey in Hispania. He and his colleague also ensured that no Roman citizen in the provinces could be tried in absentia on a capital charge – an attempt to restrict the ravages of Gaius Verres in Sicily. [7] Finally, Clodianus proposed a bill for recovering payment, which Lucius Cornelius Sulla had remitted, from those who had bought the confiscated property of those who suffered under the Sullan proscriptions. [8]
However, the major event of his consulship was the revolt of Spartacus and the eruption of the Third Servile War. Having won a number of victories against ill-prepared Roman forces, the Senate now recognised Spartacus as a serious threat and sent both the consuls to confront the slave armies at the head of four legions. [9] Clodianus moved to block Spartacus's march northward, while his colleague Publicola moved in behind, hoping to catch the rebels between the two armies. However, Spartacus's slave army destroyed Clodianus' legions in the Apennine Mountains (near modern Pistoia) in the valley named Lentula, [10] and then turned and defeated the oncoming legions of Publicola. [11] Gathering their shattered forces, both consuls gave chase but were once again defeated at a battle near Picenum. [12]
Humiliated by these defeats, shortly afterward, in early autumn, Clodianus and Publicola were withdrawn as commanders by the Roman senate, and command of the war given to Marcus Licinius Crassus. [13]
This setback to Clodianus's career was only temporary; with the support of Pompey, both Clodianus and Publicola were appointed censor in 70 BC. [14] They began a systematic purge of the senate, removing some sixty-four senators, among them a number of individuals connected to the trial of Oppianicus, as well as some important individuals such as Gaius Antonius Hybrida and Publius Cornelius Lentulus Sura. [15] However, the majority of those expelled were acquitted by the courts and restored to their former position. [16] They also identified 910,000 citizens and possibly named Mamercus Aemilius Lepidus Livianus as Princeps Senatus. [17]
In 70 BC, Clodianus helped contribute to Cicero's famous prosecution of the corrupt governor Verres by submitting evidence in support of Cicero's case.
By 67 BC, Clodianus was serving as a legate with praetorian imperium under Pompey, who had received an extraordinary command to rid the Mediterranean Sea of pirates. Clodianus was given command of the east coast of Italy, with his fleet patrolling the coast of the Adriatic Sea. [18] By 66 BC he was back in Rome, where he gave his support to the Lex Manilia, which gave Pompey command of the war against King Mithridates VI of Pontus. [19]
Although Clodianus was a noted orator, it was said that he hid his lack of talent through showmanship and the possession of a good voice. [19]
This article concerns the period 79 BC – 70 BC.
Year 72 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Publicola and Lentulus. The denomination 72 BC for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years
Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus was a politician of the Roman Republic. He was a conservative and upholder of the established social order who served in several magisterial positions alongside Julius Caesar and conceived a lifelong enmity towards him. In 59 BC he was consul alongside Julius Caesar. Their partnership was contentious to the extent that Caesar's supporters assaulted Bibulus in Rome's main forum on the eve of an important vote. Bibulus withdrew from public politics for the rest of his term.
Gaius Trebonius was a military commander and politician of the late Roman Republic, who became suffect consul in 45 BC. He was an associate of Julius Caesar, having served as his legate and having fought on his side during the civil war, and was among the tyrannicides who killed the dictator.
Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius was a general and statesman of the Roman Republic. Like the other members of the influential Caecilii Metelli family, he was a leader of the conservative faction, the Optimates, who opposed the popular faction, the Populares, during the last century of the Roman Republic.
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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.
Lucius Gellius was a Roman politician and general who was one of two Consuls of the Republic in 72 BC along with Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus Clodianus. A supporter of Pompey, he is noted for being one of the consular generals who led Roman legions against the slave armies of Spartacus in the Third Servile War.
Manius Aemilius Lepidus was a Roman politician who became consul in 66 BC alongside Lucius Volcatius Tullus.
Quintus Fabius Maximus was a general and politician of the late Roman Republic who became suffect consul in 45 BC.
Mamercus Aemilius Lepidus Livianus was a Roman politician and military commander who was consul in 77 BC.
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Lucius Manlius Torquatus was a Roman politician and military commander. He was active during the Crisis of the Roman Republic and Caesar's Civil War. He commanded troops at the battles of Oricum, Dyrrhachium and Thapsus. The last of these ended the war, in a defeat for the faction Torquatus supported; he escaped the field, but was captured and killed shortly after. He is portrayed by Cicero in De Finibus as a spokesman advocating Epicurean ethics.
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Lucius Cornelius Lentulus was a suffect consul in 38 BC, in the late Roman Republic.
Quintus Arrius was a Roman praetor in 73 BC. In the next year he should follow Gaius Verres as governor of Sicilia. But first he had to support the consuls Lucius Gellius Publicola and Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus Clodianus in the Third Servile War against the leaders of the rebellious slaves, Spartacus and Crixus. In the battle in which Arrius conquered Crixus 20,000 slaves are said to have been killed; but Arrius was soon after defeated by Spartacus. A scholiast on Cicero said that Quintus Arrius thereafter went to Sicily to take over this province from Verres, but died on the way there. However, the scholiast does not seem to be well informed, and the veracity of his assertion is doubtful. It only can be said that Quintus Arrius did not govern Sicilia.
The Battle of Picenum was one of the major battles of the Third Servile War, between the slave army of Spartacus and the combined consular forces of the Roman Republic led by the two consuls Lucius Gellius and Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus Clodianus. It took place in Picenum region in 72 BC. It was a victory for Spartacus, and it proved to be his greatest triumph of the war.
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