Marcus Aquilius Regulus

Last updated

Marcus Aquilius Regulus was a Roman senator, and notorious delator or informer who was active during the reigns of Nero and Domitian. Regulus is one of the best known examples of this occupation, in the words of Steven Rutledge, due to "the vivid portrait we have of his life and career in Pliny, Tacitus, and Martial." [1] Despite this negative reputation, Regulus was considered one of the three finest orators of Roman times. Rutledge points to the judgment of Martianus Capella, who ranked him with Pliny the Younger and Fronto as the greatest Roman orators after Cicero. [2] However, none of his speeches have survived from ancient times.

According to Tacitus, his father was exiled under Nero and his wealth divided amongst his creditors, but does not name him. [3] Paul von Rohden suggests his father might be identified with Lucius Aquillius L.f. Regulus, the pontifex and quaestor of Tiberius mentioned in CIL VI, 2122. [4] Tacitus also identifies Lucius Vipstanus Messalla as his half-brother, [5] and it is generally assumed they shared the same mother; she has not been identified.

Life

His period of greatest notoriety was during the reign of Nero, when Regulus prosecuted Marcus Licinius Crassus Frugi, Servius Cornelius Scipio Salvidienus Orfitus, and was involved in the cases of Quintus Sulpicius Camerinus Peticus and his son. Pliny claims he was as active in the reign of Domitian as he was during the reign of Nero, but we know very little about his activities during the later period. [6]

Following the conclusion of the Year of Four Emperors, Regulus was prosecuted by Curtius Montanus for his activities as a delator; during this trial he was ably defended by his half brother Vipstanus Messalla, and despite the appearance of Crassus Frugi's wife Sulpicia Praetextata with their young children before the Senate, Regulus evaded punishment. [3] Regulus found favor under Vespasian, and scholars argue over whether Regulus was awarded a suffect consulate in 84 or 85. While Ronald Syme argues for the honor, Rutledge is less certain that he achieved this office. [7]

According to Pliny, Regulus was in fear of his life following the assassination of Domitian. In one of his letters, Pliny describes how the man was intent on achieving a rapprochement with Pliny before Junius Mauricus could return from exile and possibly extract some revenge on Regulus for his relegation. [7] Pliny was clearly hostile towards Regulus, for in another letter he recounts how Regulus indulged in legacy hunting, [8] and presents an unsympathetic portrait of Regulus' mourning over the early death of his only son. [9]

Rutledge dates Regulus' death as "sometime before 106." [10]

Related Research Articles

Claudia gens Ancient Roman family

The gens Claudia, sometimes written Clodia, was one of the most prominent patrician houses at ancient Rome. The gens traced its origin to the earliest days of the Roman Republic. The first of the Claudii to obtain the consulship was Appius Claudius Sabinus Regillensis, in 495 BC, and from that time its members frequently held the highest offices of the state, both under the Republic and in imperial times.

Licinia gens Ancient Roman family

The gens Licinia was a celebrated plebeian family at ancient Rome, which appears from the earliest days of the Republic until imperial times, and which eventually obtained the imperial dignity. The first of the gens to obtain the consulship was Gaius Licinius Calvus Stolo, who, as tribune of the plebs from 376 to 367 BC, prevented the election of any of the annual magistrates, until the patricians acquiesced to the passage of the lex Licinia Sextia, or Licinian Rogations. This law, named for Licinius and his colleague, Lucius Sextius, opened the consulship for the first time to the plebeians. Licinius himself was subsequently elected consul in 364 and 361 BC, and from this time, the Licinii became one of the most illustrious gentes in the Republic.

The gens Scribonia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome. Members of this gens first appear in history at the time of the Second Punic War, but the first of the Scribonii to obtain the consulship was Gaius Scribonius Curio in 76 BC.

Calpurnia gens Ancient Roman family

The gens Calpurnia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome, which first appears in history during the third century BC. The first of the gens to obtain the consulship was Gaius Calpurnius Piso in 180 BC, but from this time their consulships were very frequent, and the family of the Pisones became one of the most illustrious in the Roman state. Two important pieces of Republican legislation, the lex Calpurnia of 149 BC and lex Acilia Calpurnia of 67 BC were passed by members of the gens.

Lucius Vitellius was a Roman senator who lived in the 1st century. He was the second son of Lucius Vitellius and Sextilia, and younger brother of emperor Aulus Vitellius. Lucius was suffect consul in the nundinium of July-December 48 with Gaius Vipstanus Messalla Gallus as his colleague.

Scribonia Magna, known in modern historical sources as Scribonia Crassi, was a Roman noblewoman. Scribonia was the daughter of Lucius Scribonius Libo, and Cornelia Pompeia.

Marcus Licinius Crassus Frugi was a Roman nobleman of consular rank who lived during the Roman Empire. Frugi’s mother was an unnamed Roman woman, while his father was consul and governor Marcus Licinius Crassus. Frugi’s adoptive paternal grandfather was consul and general Marcus Licinius Crassus the Younger. Crassus was the grandson of triumvir Marcus Licinius Crassus and the last known direct descendant of his grandfather. He had a sister called Licinia who married the consul Lucius Calpurnius Piso; their son, Gaius Calpurnius Piso, was a conspirator against the Emperor Nero.

Titus Cassius Severus was an ancient Roman rhetor from the gens Cassia. He was active during the reigns of Augustus and Tiberius. Cassius Severus, a fearless fighter for freedom of speech, was sharply eloquent against the new governmental order, which finally saw him exiled and his works banned after his death.

Libo Rupilius Frugi, whose full name was Lucius Scribonius Libo Rupilius Frugi Bonus, was a Roman suffect consul and a possible ancestor of the emperor Marcus Aurelius.

(Gaius) Vipstanus Messalla Gallus was a Roman senator who was consul suffectus in the nundinium of July-December 48 as the colleague of Lucius Vitellius. J. Devrecker has offered the argument that the elements in his name ought to be set out as Gaius Messalla Vipstanus Gallus.

Lucius Vipstanus Messalla was a Roman military officer, senator, and a noted orator. He appears as a character in Tacitus' Dialogus de oratoribus.

Herennius Senecio was among the Stoic Opposition to the emperor Domitian, under whose rule he was executed. He was from Baetica in Roman Spain. He was the author of a laudatory biography of the Stoic martyr Helvidius Priscus.

Publius Suillius Rufus was a Roman senator who was active during the Principate. He was notorious for his prosecutions during the reign of Claudius; and he was the husband of the step-daughter of Ovid. Rufus was suffect consul in the nundinium of November-December 41 as the colleague of Quintus Ostorius Scapula.

Sulpicia Praetextata was an ancient Roman noblewoman who lived in the Roman Empire in the 1st century.

Marcus Licinius Scribonianus Camerinus was a wealthy Roman Senator that lived in the Roman Empire in the 1st century.

LuciusFulcinius Trio was a Roman senator who came from a plebeian family. Trio was an active prosecutor (accusator) during the reign of Tiberius who developed a reputation for making accusations. He was governor of Lusitania from about 21 to 31, before returning to Rome to hold the office of consul suffect with Publius Memmius Regulus in 31. His friendship with Sejanus would lead to allegations that ended with his suicide in early 35.

Lucius Valerius Catullus Messalinus was a Roman senator during the Flavian dynasty, and is best known as the most hated and ruthless delator or informer of his age. He was feared all the more due to his blindness.

Lucius Fabius Justus was a Roman senator active in the late 1st and early 2nd centuries AD, who occupied a number of offices in the imperial service. He also served as suffect consul in 102, replacing Lucius Licinius Sura as the colleague of the consul who opened the year, Lucius Julius Ursus Servianus; both Justus and Servianus closed their nundinium at the end of April.

Gaius Paccius Africanus was a Roman senator and delator or informer, who was active during the reigns of Nero and Vespasian. He was suffect consul from July to August 66 as the colleague of Marcus Annius Afrinus.

Decimus Laelius Balbus was a Roman senator and delator or informer, active during the Principate. He was suffect consul in the nundinium of July-August 46 as the colleague of Marcus Junius Silanus.

References

  1. ↑ Rutledge, Imperial Inquisitions: Prosecutors and informants from Tiberius to Domitian (London: Routledge, 2001), p. 192
  2. ↑ Rutledge, Imperial Inquisitions, p. 197
  3. 1 2 Tacitus, Histories , IV.42
  4. ↑ von Rohden, "Aquilius 34", Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft , volume II.1 (1895), col. 331
  5. ↑ Tacitus, Dialogus de oratoribus , 15.1
  6. ↑ Pliny, Epistulae , I.5
  7. 1 2 Rutledge, Imperial Inquisitions, p. 194
  8. ↑ Pliny, Epistulae, II.20
  9. ↑ Pliny, Epistulae, IV.2
  10. ↑ Rutledge, Imperial Inquisitions, p. 198
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.