Quintus Julius Cordinus Gaius Rutilius Gallicus

Last updated
Quintus Julius Cordinus Gaius Rutilius Gallicus
SPQR (laurier).svg
Consul of the Roman Republic
In office
September 70 October 70
Preceded by Gaius Licinius Mucianus with Quintus Petillius Cerialis
Succeeded by Lucius Annius Bassus with Gaius Laecanius Bassus Caecina Paetus
In office
March 85 April 85
Preceded by Domitian with Titus Aurelius Fulvus
Succeeded by Marcus Arrecinus Clemens with Lucius Baebius Honoratus
Personal details
BornUnknown
DiedUnknown
Spouse(s)Minicia L.f. Paetina
Military service
Allegiance Roman Military banner.svg Roman Empire
Commands Military tribune of Legio XIII Gemina
Governor of Galatia.
Proconsular Governor of Africa
Governor of Germania Inferior
Urban prefect
Pontifex

Quintus Julius Cordinus Gaius Rutilius Gallicus was a Roman senator who held several posts in the emperor's service. He was twice suffect consul: for the first time in the nundinium of September to October 70 AD; [1] and the second time in 85 with Lucius Valerius Catullus Messalinus as his colleague, succeeding the Emperor Domitian. [2]

Contents

Gallicus was well thought of by both the emperors Claudius and Nero. He was an important supporter of Vespasian in his early period as emperor and was rewarded by being made consul only months after Vespasian's arrival in Rome. Gallicus held a series of further civic and military positions, including three governorships, pontifex, and urban prefect of Rome.

Family

He was often referred to by the shorter name Gaius Rutilius Gallicus, which Olli Salomies notes was his name prior to his adoption; Gallicus was a member of the gens Rutilia from Augusta Taurinorum, the modern Turin. The general consensus is that the adoptive element is Quintus Julius Cordius, and when his full name was used "Gaius" was frequently dropped. Although a Quintus Julius Cordius was the suffect consul of 71, Salomies doubts he was the adoptive father, although "no doubt closely related" to him. [3] J. E. H. Spaul suggested his birth father was Gaius Rutilius Secundus, equestrian governor of Mauretania Tingitana during the reign of the emperor Claudius. [4]

Gallicus was married and his wife's name is known from an inscription found in Augusta Tauricorum: Minicia L.f. Paetina. [5]

Biography

Offices under the Julio-Claudians

Gallicus' first known post was as military tribune of Legio XIII Gemina, which he is attested as holding in 52. [6] This was followed by the Republican magistracies of quaestor and curule aedile . He then served again in the military as the legatus legionis , or commander, of Legio XV Apollinaris during the reign of the emperor Claudius. During Gallicus' term as commander the legion was stationed in Pannonia. [7] Following this he was assigned to govern the province of Galatia in central Anatolia. [6] In 68 Gallicus was co-opted into the sodales Augustales , the collegia of priests. [8] This role was important to the Julio-Claudian dynasty, and the appointment is a clear indication that Gallicus was favored by the emperor Nero. [8]

Offices under the Flavians

In addition to being favored by Nero, he was also well regarded by Vespasian. Gallicus was appointed consul by Vespasian very shortly after his arrival in Rome as a new emperor. The consulship was considered the highest honour the Roman state could bestow, and Vespasian would have made such appointments carefully, to reward loyalty and to consolidate support. Gallicus would have served alongside a fellow consul, but who this was is not recorded. During Vespasian's reign Gallicus was admitted to the College of Pontiffs, again a sign of the Emperor's high esteem. [9]

He was Proconsular Governor of Africa in 73/74. [10] Although being proconsul of Africa or Asia was considered a senator's highest and usually the final step in imperial service, Gallicus is known to have been Governor of Germania Inferior from 76 to 78. [11] He was appointed consul for a second time seven years later by the emperor Domitian, serving with Lucius Valerius Catullus Messalinus. Gallicus' final office was urban prefect of Rome, which he held around 91. [12]

Death

Statius dedicated a poem to him (Silvae, 1.4), celebrating his recovery from illness. His recovery proved short-lived, as Statius notes Gallicus died from that same illness in the preface to the first book of Silvae, published not long after Gallicus' death.

Related Research Articles

Quintus Petillius Cerialis Caesius Rufus, otherwise known as Quintus Petillius Cerialis, was a Roman general and administrator who served in Britain during Boudica's rebellion and went on to participate in the civil wars after the death of Nero. He later crushed the rebellion of Julius Civilis and returned to Britain as its governor.

Aulus Didius Gallus Fabricius Veiento was a Roman senator who played a major role in the courts of several Roman emperors during the first century AD. For his usefulness, Veiento was rewarded with the office of suffect consul three times.

Publius Pomponius Secundus was a distinguished statesman and poet in the reigns of Tiberius, Caligula, and Claudius. He was suffect consul for the nundinium of January to June 44, succeeding the ordinary consul Gaius Sallustius Crispus Passienus and as the colleague of the other ordinary consul, Titus Statilius Taurus. Publius was on intimate terms with the elder Pliny, who wrote a biography of him, now lost.

Gaius Julius Cornutus Tertullus was a Roman senator who was active during the late 1st and early 2nd centuries. He is best known as the older friend of Pliny the Younger, with whom Cornutus was suffect consul for the nundinium of September to October 100.

Lucius Junius Quintus Vibius Crispus was a Roman senator and amicus or companion of the Emperors, known for his wit. He was a three-time suffect consul.

Titus Clodius Eprius Marcellus was a Roman senator, twice consul, best known for his prosecution of the Stoic senator Thrasea Paetus and his bitter quarrel with Helvidius Priscus. Eprius was also notorious for his ability to ingratiate himself with the reigning Emperors – especially Nero and Vespasian – and his hostility to any senatorial opposition, but in the last year of Vespasian, in circumstances that remain obscure, he was accused of treason and committed suicide.

The gens Arruntia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome. Members of this gens first came to prominence during the final years of the Republic.

The gens Caecinia was a plebeian family of Etruscan origin at ancient Rome. Members of this gens are first mentioned in the time of Cicero, and they remained prominent through the first century of the Empire, before fading into obscurity in the time of the Flavian emperors. A family of this name rose to prominence once more at the beginning of the fifth century.

Gnaeus Pinarius Cornelius Clemens was a Roman military officer and senator who was appointed Suffect consul during the reign of Vespasian. He is primarily known through inscriptions.

The gens Rutilia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome. Members of this gens appear in history beginning in the second century BC. The first to obtain the consulship was Publius Rutilius Rufus in 105 BC.

Marcus Lollius Paulinus Decimus Valerius Asiaticus Saturninus was a prominent Roman Senator who was a powerful figure in the second half of the 1st century and first half of the 2nd century. He is also known by the shorter form of his name, Decimus Valerius Asiaticus.

Gaius Laecanius Bassus Caecina Paetus was a Roman senator of the early Roman Empire, whose known career flourished under the reign of Vespasian. He was suffect consul in the nundinium of November to December AD 70 as the colleague of Lucius Annius Bassus.

Lucius Funisulanus Vettonianus was a Roman general and senator during the reigns of the Flavian emperors. He was suffect consul in the nundinium of September to October 78 with Quintus Corellius Rufus as his colleague.

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.

Gaius Calpetanus Rantius Quirinalis Valerius Festus was a Roman senator, general, and amicus to each of the Flavian emperors. He proved his value to the Flavians when, as legatus legionis, or commander, of Legio III Augusta stationed in Africa, he assassinated the proconsul, who favored a rival of Vespasian during the Year of Four Emperors. He maintained his loyalty through the reigns of his sons Titus and Domitian, but fell out of favor during the latter's reign and was forced to commit suicide.

Publius Manilius Vopiscus Vicinillianus was a Roman senator of the 2nd century AD, who was ordinary consul for the year 114 as the colleague of Quintus Ninnius Hasta.

Quintus Pomponius Rufus was a Roman senator active in the imperial service; he was governor during the reigns of the emperors Domitian and Trajan. Rufus was also suffect consul for the nundinium September-December AD 95 as the colleague of Lucius Baebius Tullus. Pomponius Rufus is known primarily from inscriptions.

Gaius Calpetanus Rantius Sedatus was a Roman senator, who held a number of offices in the imperial service. He was suffect consul in the nundinium of March to April 47 with Hordeonius Flaccus as his colleague. He is known primarily from inscriptions.

Marcus Maecius Celer was a Roman senator, who was active during the reign of Trajan. He was suffect consul in the nundinium of April-May 101 as the colleague of Gaius Sertorius Brocchus Quintus Servaeus Innocens. He is known almost solely from inscriptions.

Sextus Sentius Caecilianus was a Roman senator, who was active during the first century AD. He was suffect consul in an undetermined nundinium during the reign of Vespasian. He is known entirely from inscriptions.

References

  1. Paul Gallivan, "The Fasti for A. D. 70–96", Classical Quarterly , 31 (1981), pp. 200, 213
  2. Gallivan, "The Fasti for A. D. 70–96", pp. 190, 216
  3. Salomies, Adoptive and polyonymous nomenclature in the Roman Empire, (Helsinki: Societas Scientiarum Fennica, 1992), pp. 116f and note
  4. Spaul, "Governors of Tingitana", Antiquités africaines 30 (1994), p. 237
  5. CIL V, 6990
  6. 1 2 AE 1920, 55 = ILS 9499
  7. CIL III, 4591
  8. 1 2 CIL VI, 1984 = ILS 5025
  9. CIL VIII, 25967
  10. Werner Eck, "Jahres- und Provinzialfasten der senatorischen Statthalter von 69/70 bis 138/139", Chiron 12 (1982), p. 293
  11. Eck, "Jahres- und Provinzialfasten", pp. 297–300
  12. Champlin, Edward (1986). "Miscellanea Testamentaria". Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik. 62: 248. JSTOR   20186337.

Further reading

Political offices
Preceded by
Gaius Licinius Mucianus  II
Quintus Petillius Cerialis

as suffect consuls
Roman consul
70 (suffect)
with ignotus
Succeeded by
Lucius Annius Bassus
Gaius Laecanius Bassus Caecina Paetus

as suffect consuls
Preceded by
Domitian XI
Titus Aurelius Fulvus

as ordinary consuls
Roman consul II
85 (suffect)
with Lucius Valerius Catullus Messalinus  II
Succeeded by
Marcus Arrecinus Clemens  II
Lucius Baebius Honoratus

as suffect consuls