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[German version] Imp. Caes. M. Aurelius Claudius Q. Aug., brother of Claudius [III 2] II Gothicus. After the latter's death in August of AD 270, Q. was proclaimed emperor, but killed after a few weeks by the soldiers in Aquileia (Eutr. 9,12; [Aur. Vict.] Epit. Caes. 34,5; Jer. Chron. p. 222 Helm; Zos. 1,47). Birley, A. R. (Düsseldorf) Bibliography Kienast 2, 233  PIR2 A 1480  PLRE 1, 759 (no. 1).

[German version] The victor's name D. was not assumed by Domitian, contrary to the report at Mart. 8 pr. Trajan was officially called D. only after 102; in 236 Maximinus assumed the name D. Maximus for himself and his son Maximus. In the case of later emperors the title was probably unofficial: Decius (D. maximus from 250, but only on Spanish milestones), Gallienus (D. max. only in ILS 552, from 257), Aurelian [3] (ILS 581, from 275). Constantine [1] I named himself D. Maximus in 336 (AE 1934, 158…

[German version] Senator, whose freedman Diocletian is said to have been (Eutr. 9,19,2; Aur. Vict. Caes. 39,1; Zon. 12,31). Birley, A. R. (Düsseldorf)

[German version] M. Aurelius Maus(aeus?), AD 286-293.A Menapian by birth, and by profession a former helmsman, C. excelled himself in the Bagaudian War under  Maximianus. Subsequently, as commander of a fleet based in Bononia (Boulogne-sur-Mer), he was given the task of fighting the piratical Franks and Saxons. Based on suspicions that he had withheld war booty, the order was given to kill C.; in consequence, C. had himself proclaimed emperor in 286, and assumed the rule of Britannia. He was also …

[German version] Imperator Caesar M.A. Carinus Augustus, the eldest son of  Carus, a brother of  Numerianus; around November AD 282, he was made Caesar and princeps iuventutis by his father, and in spring 283, when his father marched against the Persians, C. was elevated to Augustus. After his campaign against the Quadi (F. Gnecchi, I Medaglioni Romani 2, 1912, pl. 123, no. 8), he called himself Germanicus maximus, adding to that Persicus maximus after Carus' victory in the east, and also, for unknown reasons, Britannicu…

[German version] A. Modestus Crescentianus, Q. Participated as XV vir sacris faciundis in AD 204 in the ludi saeculares; he was praetorian imperial legate in Arabia. Cos. suff., legate of Germania superior in 209 and cos. II ord. in 228. PIR2 A 470. Birley, A. R. (Düsseldorf) Bibliography Eck, 81-82.

[German version] Decree of  Caracalla (AD 212), by which he extended Roman citizenship to almost all members of the empire (Cass. Dio 77,9,5; Dig. 1,5,17); cf. Aur. Vict., Caesares 16,12, who mistakenly attributes that action to  Marcus Aurelius instead of M. Aur. Antoninus Caracalla. Whether the much-discussed PGiss. 40 I contained the edict is questioned by [1]. The problem of the [de]diticii, who in the papyrus were apparently excluded from  citizenship or from the rights and privileges that it entailed, is possibly explained by the so-called Tabula Ba…

[German version] M. Clodius P. Maximus, emperor in AD 238. According to Zon. 12,17, P. was as old as 74 at this time, but this can hardly be correct. Information on his origin and career in the Historia Augusta is largely fictional; his ancestors were probably from Volaterrae  (CIL IX 5765, cf. [1. 170 ff.]). P. was consular governor of a German province (Hdn. 8,6,6; 7,8), proconsul of Asia (ILS 8839; AE 1975, 791), cos. ord. II in 234 and praef. urbi (Hdn. 7,10,4; 8,8,4) up to the time when the Senate elected him one of the XXviri rei publicae curandae; these decemviri were to protect Italy ag…

[German version] As praetorian governor of Numidia in AD 238 (perhaps identical with the epigraphically attested legatus Augusti pro praetore L. Ovinius Pudens Capella, PIR2 O 189), with the legio III Augusta, he quelled the revolt in Gordiane (Herodian. 7,9,11; SHA Maximin. 19,20, Gord. 15-16; ILS 8499). PIR2 C 404. Birley, A. R. (Düsseldorf) Bibliography K.-H. Dietz, Senatus contra principem, 1980, 109ff.

[German version] Called ‘Callistus’ by Greek authors, because of an orthographical error [1], Praetorian praefect of  Valerianus, then of  Macrianus (SHA Valer. 4,4; SHA Gall. 3,2). After Valerian was taken prisoner, he had the sons of Macrianus proclaimed emperors (SHA Gall. 1,3). As cavalry commander for Macrianus, he triumphed over the Persians (Zon. 12,24). He stayed in the east with Quietus, the younger son of Macrianus, but surrendered Quietus in the battle of Emesa; however, B. was soon killed by Odoenathus (Zon. 12,24; SHA Gall. 3,1f.). PIR2 B 41; PLRE 1, 146. Birley, A. R. (Dü…

[German version] Dacian (Sync. p. 717), cavalry commander under  Gallienus (Zos. 1,40; Zon. 12,24; 25). He defeated the usurper Ingenuus in AD 260 in Pannonia (Aur. Vict. Caes. 33,2), and Macrianus in 261 (Zon. 12,24; SHA Gall. 2,6). He was heristant in attacking Postumus in Gallia and probably defected to his side [1]. Declared Augustus in Milan, probably in August or September 268 and killed shortly afterwards by  Claudius' [III 2] troops (Zos. 1,41). PIR2 A 1672; PLRE 1, 138. Birley, A. R. (Düsseldorf) Bibliography 1 A. Alföldi, Studien zur Weltkrise, 1967, 1ff.

[German version] (Nickname based on his Celtic robe; originally, he was called Bassianus, Cass. Dio 78,9,3) = M. Aurelius Antoninus Caesar (from AD 195, ILS 8805; RIU 3,840) = M. Aurelius Severus Antoninus Augustus (from AD 198, cf. [1]). Born on 4 April AD 188 in Lyons as the eldest son of Septimius Severus and Julia Domna (Cass. Dio 78,6,5; cf. 77,10,2; [Aur. Vict.] Epit. Caes. 21,1; SHA Sept. Sev. 3,9; differing information elsewhere). He accompanied his father to the east from the middle of 19…

[German version] Prefect of Egypt. In AD 283 after the death of  Carus he turned down the imperial rank offered to him by his soldiers (Claudian. Epithal. Palladii et Celerinae 25,70-82). PIR2 C 635. Birley, A. R. (Düsseldorf)

[German version] [1] Imperator Caesar C. Pius E. Tetricus Augustus Augustus in Gaul and Britannia AD 271-274 He came from a noble (Aur. Vict. Caes. 33,14), certainly (because of the name E.) Gallic family and, even before his elevation to Augustus, was senator and governor of Aquitania, when Victorinus ruled over the rebel Gallic empire (Eutr. 9,10). After Victorinus was murdered, he was proclaimed emperor by the military, probably in the spring of AD 271, and clothed in the purple in Bordeaux (Eutr. ibid.; [Aur…

Roman cognomen; see also Ateius, Fonteius. [German version] [1] Orator of the Augustan period Orator of the Augustan period, praised by  Seneca the Elder because of his ability -- in contrast with  Cassius [III 2] Severus -- to distinguish clearly between the demands of declamations as opposed to those of legal speeches, with regards to their tone and presentation. According to Seneca's assessment, C.'s best orations were in no way inferior to those of the tetrad of the great declamators  Latro,  Fuscus,  Alb…

[German version] [1] Name of a deity Name of a deity, based on its earliest attestation (Palmyrene stele of Nazala, 1st cent. AD), it can be etymologically derived from lhbl (Hdn. 5,3,4: Elaiagabalos). Since lh is present in the status emphaticus, E. must be read as the ‘God Mountain’ [8. 503f.]. The image on the stele also speaks for this [1. 707]. The mountain signifies the citadel mountain of  Emesa (Ḥimṣ) with the temple of E. [6. 257f.; 8. 509f.], which is indicated in ancient descriptions (Avien. Descriptio orbis 1083-1093) …

[German version] [1] Appointed emperor in AD 280 Appointed emperor in Cologne, together with Proculus, in AD 280, soon thereafter defeated by  Probus (Eutr. 9,17,1; Aur. Vict. Caes. 37,3; [Aur. Vict.] Epit. Caes. 37,2). His vita in the  Historia Augusta (Probus), is largely fictitious; no genuine coins of his are known. PIR2 B 146; PLRE 1, 163 no.1. Birley, A. R. (Düsseldorf) [German version] [2] Consul in AD 344 Flavius B. was consul in AD 344 but was acknowledged only in the West and even there he is attested only until April/May. According to [1], however, he …

[German version] [1] Follower of Septimius Severus N. was a schoolteacher in Rome who, as a senator on commission from  Septimius Severus pretended to raise for him an army in Gaul. In fact he achieved considerable success in battle against the troops of  Clodius [II 1] Albinus. N. allegedly seized 70 million sesterces for Severus, after whose victory in AD 97 N. renounced all his privileges and was content with only a small maintenance pension (Cass. Dio 75,5). PIR2 N 198. Franke, Thomas (Bochum) [German version] [2] Imp. Caes. M. Aurelius Numerius N. Augustus 3rd cent. AD emperor Roman e…

[German version] [1], M. Homo novus, 1st cent. AD, dialogue partner in Tacitus's Dialogus Lived from about AD 23 until the last quarter of 1st cent. A Roman orator from Gallia (Tac. Dial. 10,2; presumably Tres Galliae [4. 799 f.]), possibly father of Flavius A. (PIR2 F 206). Was probably awarded during the campaign in Britain 43 (Tac. Dial. 17,4) the latus clavus, which for the homo novus opened a career as quaestor, tribune of the people and praetor (7,1). In Tacitus' Dialogus he appears as a dialogue partner, the only source for the famous orator (14,3). Rottler, Christoph (Tübingen) Bibli…

[German version] [1] Aurelius A. Cos. suff. 180/182 AD Praetorian legate of Arabia under two Augusti (AE 1965, 23); cos. suff. between AD 180 and 182 (CIL VIII 10570=ILS 6870). PIR2 A 1424. Birley, A. R. (Düsseldorf) [German version] [2] Consular senator, executed around 217/18 AD Consular senator. His execution, demanded by the soldiers, was at first refused by Emperor  Macrinus (217-18) (Cass. Dio 78,12,4), but was probably carried out soon thereafter (Cass. Dio 78,19,1). PIR2 A 1425. Birley, A. R. (Düsseldorf) [German version] [3] Imperator Caes. L. Domitius A. Augustus Born…

[German version] [4] Writer of epigrams Evodus (Εὔοδος; Eúodos) Epigrammatic poet of the Imperial age (1st or 3rd cent. AD), of whom Planudes preserved two short poems, of altogether three hexameters, in the form of riddles (Anth. Pal. 16,116 and 155): the first describes a centaur, the second the phenomenon of the echo, which is int. al. referred to as the ‘residue (τρύγα; trýga) of the voice’ and the ‘tail of the word’. Degani, Enzo (Bologna) [German version] [1] Imperial freedman under Tiberius Imperial freedman who had great influence over Tiberius in the last year of his life. PIR2 E 1…

(Ἔρως; Érōs). [German version] [1] Personification of sexual desire Greek personification of love as sexual desire (Latin Amor, Cupido). Usually, E. is regarded as being the son of  Aphrodite, in whose sphere of influence he represents a central figure.  Ares is named as his father (Simon. fr. 43B). Not mentioned in Homer, E.'s image in archaic poetry is developed into an expression of the complex and contradictory experience of individual love [1]: ‘limb-loosening’ conquerer of gods and men (Hes. Theog.…

Roman cognomen (ThlL 2,1694f.; [1. 240]). Consuls with the epithet B.: L. Saenius B. (? 30 BC), P. Coelius B. Vibellius Pius (AD 137), L. Valerius Poblicola B. (AD 256). Elvers, Karl-Ludwig (Bochum) [German version] [1] D.C. (Calvinus) B. = Imperator Caesar D.C. Calvinus B. Elected emperor by the Senate in 238 AD According to Zonaras, (12,17, not precise) 60 years old in the year AD 238, when he was elected emperor by the Senate, together with  Pupienus, who is always mentioned before him. Supposed descendant of the Gaditanian Cornelius Balbus (S…

[German version] [1] One of the 30 tyrants Character invented by the author of   Historia Augusta ; one of the so-called 30 tyrants, supposedly usurper under Claudius Gothicus, he was killed after seven days. For vita, SHA Tyr. Trig. 31,12; 32,8-33,6. PIR2 C 656. Birley, A. R. (Düsseldorf) Bibliography K.-P. Johne, Kaiserbiographie und Senatsaristokratie, 1976, 122-28. [German version] [2] Caelius C., C. High official, 4th cent. AD High official of the time of  Constantinus the Great. He is known only from an inscription from Campania (ILS 1216), where the offi…

[German version] [1] Originally the cognomen of  Caracalla Originally the cognomen of  Caracalla. Birley, A. R. (Düsseldorf) [German version] [2] Originally the cognomen of the future emperor M. Aurelius  Severus Alexander Originally the cognomen of the future emperor M. Aurelius  Severus Alexander. Birley, A. R. (Düsseldorf) [German version] [3] Caesar for Italy around 316 AD Married to  Anastasia [1], named Caesar for Italy by  Constantinus the Great shortly before the war against Licinus (AD 316), but was then spurred on by his brother Senecio to…

Cognomen of the Clodii, Decii, Iunii, Lucceii, Mummii, Pescennii, Postumii (fictitious name in Mart. 4,37,2). Elvers, Karl-Ludwig (Bochum) [German version] [3] Of Smyrna. Platonic philosopher of the 2nd cent. AD (Ἀλβῖνος; Albînos) of Smyrna. Platonic philosopher of the 2nd cent. AD, who was counted among the ‘top Platonists’ by Proclus [2. 18; see 2. 20]. A student of the Platonist  Gaius, he taught in Smyrna in AD 150, where he was heard by the physician Galen (Gal., Scripta minora 2,97,8 ff. Mueller). A. wrote commentaries on Plato's Timaeus, ‘Republic’ and Phaedo [2. 18, 50, 15…

[No German version] I. Greek Degani, Enzo (Bologna) Bibliography GA 2,1,11 f.; 2,2,13-16. [German version] [I 1] Epigrammatic poet of Nicaea. Author of three interesting epigrams from the ‘Garland’ of Philippus: the astounding lament of a ship that -- having escaped shipwreck -- returns to port ‘with a cargo of corpses’ (Anth. Pal. 9,218), and two descriptions of works of art, the first (Anth. Pal. 7,623) a famous painting by Aristides of Thebes (Plin. HN 35,98), the second (Anth. Pal. 9,756) seems to illustrate …

[German version] [1] Roman emperor, born AD 51 Roman emperor; original name T. Flavius Domitianus = Imperator Caesar Domitianus Augustus. Eck, Werner (Cologne) [German version] A. Up to the death of Titus Born on 24 Oct. AD 51 in Rome; his parents were T. Flavius  Vespasianus and Flavia Domitilla. D. spent his childhood in Rome; he did not accompany his father Vespasian to Judaea. His life was first threatened in the 2nd half of 69 during the reign of Vitellius, when D.'s father had already been proclaimed emperor, and fightin…

Plebeian nomen gentile, documented in the literary tradition since the 5th cent.; the most important family were the Decii Mures (D. [I 1-3]), possibly from Campania [1], whose self-sacrifice (partly unhistorical) in battle made them much quoted examples in the tradition. I. Republican period [German version] [I 1] D. Mus, P. (Origin of the cognomen not known), in 352 BC, committee member dealing with a debt crisis in Rome (Liv. 7,21,6); as war tribune in 343, he is said to have saved the army of the consul A. Cornelius [I 22] Cossus Arvina from…

[German version] [1] Avitianus, L., governor under the Severi Avitianus, L., praetoric governor of Arabia and consularian governor of Pannonia inferior in the time of the Severi; frater Arvalis (present in the collegium AD 218 and AD 231). PIR2 A 519. Birley, A. R. (Düsseldorf) Bibliography Leunissen, 256, 262. [German version] [2] Senecio, L., governor (beginning of the 3rd cent. AD) Senecio, L., son of a procurator Aug. by the same name, from Cuicul in Numidia, legatus Aug. pro praetore in Coele Syria under Severus, and governor of Britannia between 205 and 207. PIR2 A 521. Birley, A. R.…

[German version] [1] Imperator Caesar M. Aurelius Probus Augustus Roman emperor AD 276-282 Roman emperor 276-282 AD. Born on 19 August 232 AD in Sirmium; the information about his father in SHA Probus 3,2 and in [Aur. Vict.] epit. Caes. 37,1 is probably fictitious. P.'s career prior to his elevation to emperor in the East in the summer of 276 (Zos. 1,64) (in SHA Probus he is confused with a dux Tenagino P.) is unknown. During his six-year reign ( cos. I-III 277-279, cos. IV 281, cos. V 282) he fought first on the Rhine against the Alamanni, then against the Franci, Burgundiones an…

Widespread plebeian gentilicium (ThlL 2,1482-87), which in ancient etymology is derived from Sabine and was derived via the older form Auselius from sol (sun) (Fest. p. 22; from this the modern derivation from the Sabine * ausel over Etruscan usil ‘Sun god’, cf. [1. 36; 2. 468]). The family attained noble status in the 1st Punic War with Aur. [3] and provides numerous consuls in the 2nd cent. BC from the branches of the Cottae, Orestae and Scauri. This, however, does not completely explain the building stages and assignment of various viae Aureliae in the 2nd cent. [3; 4]. The late R…

(Κάρος, Κάκυρος; Káros, Kákyros). Celtiberian from Segeda, general of several Iberian tribes and towns that defeated the army of the consul Q.  Fulvius [I 17] Nobilior on 23/ 8/153 BC. The Roman prohibition of building a wall around Segeda caused the confrontation. C. was killed while pursuing the enemy (App. Ib. 45; Diod. Sic. 31,39; Flor. Epit. 1,34 [Megaravicus]).  Hispania Spickermann, Wolfgang (Bochum) [German version] [2] Poet friend of Ovid A poet friend of  Ovid (Pont. 4,13 is addressed to him; 3,5 in the Tristiae, where the identity of the respective addressees is con…

(Δέξιππος; Déxippos). [German version] [1] Spartan, mercenary leader c. 400 BC Lacedaemonian, 406 BC mercenary leader of Acragas in the war against Carthage in which he played an obscure role. The Syracusans appointed him as the commander in Gela where he refused to support Dionysius I and was then sent back to his homeland (Diod. Sic. 13,85,3f.; 87,4f.; 88,7f.; 93; 96,1). D. is perhaps identical with a perioecus who drew attention to himself in the army of Cyrus the Younger through his wicked machinations and was finally executed by Nicander (Xen. An. 5,1,15; 6,1,32; 6,5ff.). Meier, Misc…

[German version] I Greek (Σευῆρος; Seuêros). [German version] [1] Platonist, 2nd cent.? Platonist, probably 2nd cent. AD. He wrote a monograph On the soul [1. 80, 299; 2. 409-13, 428 f., 435 f.] and a commentary on Plato’s Timaeus [1. 52, 217 f.; 2. 407-9]. He appears in these works to be an original-minded, somewhat stoicizing interpreter of Aristotle’s doctrine of categories [1. 259; 2. 413 f.; 3. 66, 288 f.], and of Plato’s theories of the soul [1. 299; 3. 56, 278 f.] and of the origin of the world [4. 116-18, 417-21]. His works …

In the 1st cent. BC, vernacular form of the gentilicium  Claudius (C. [I 4] and  Clodia), since late Republican period also an independent family name. I. Republican period [German version] [I 1] C., C. Praefect of M. Brutus in 43/42 BC In 43/42 BC follower and prefect of M. Brutus; he murdered C. Antonius [I 3]. Elvers, Karl-Ludwig (Bochum) [German version] [I 2] C., Sex. Henchman of P. Clodius [I 4] Pulcher, Sex. Cloelius [2] Henchman of P. Clodius [I 4] Pulcher, Sex.  Cloelius [2]. Elvers, Karl-Ludwig (Bochum) [German version] [I 3] C. Aesopus Tragic actor, 2nd half of the 1st cent. BC Tragic …

Name of a Roman lineage (Sabine Clausus, with the vernacular variant of   Clodius , esp. in the 1st cent. BC). The Claudii supposedly immigrated to Rome from the Sabine city of Regillum at the beginning of the republic in 504 BC under their ancestor Att(i)us Clausus ( Appius) and were immediately accepted into the circle of patrician families (Liv. 2,16,4-6), which explains why the early members received the invented epithets of Inregillensis C. [I 5-6] and Sabinus C. [I 31-32], [1. 155f.]. The praenomen Appius came to signify the family. Named after them was the Tribus Claudi…

Name of a plebeian gens (cf. Tac. Ann. 6,15,1), the representatives of whom have been known historically since the middle of the 3rd cent. BC. The most important family, especially in the 1st cent. BC, are the Cassii Longini. A patrician C. (around 500 BC, C. I 19) is rare. I. Republican age [German version] [I 1] C., C. Governor of Asia 89-88 BC Praetor 90 BC (?), in 89-88 governor of the province of Asia whence he, with M'. Aquillius [I 4], induced Nicomedes of Bithynia to attack  Mithridates (MRR 2,34). He then had to retreat from the victorious Mithridat…

Oscan praenomen ( Egnatius [I 3]). Attested as a Roman nomen gentile from the 2nd cent. BC. The most important holder is the seven-time consul M. [I 1]; the prominent Imperial-period Spanish bearer of the name, M. [II 3], is probably a descendant of family members of that Marius. I. Republican Period [German version] [I 1] M., C. Seven-time consul, victor over Jugurtha and over the Cimbri and Teutoni, opponent of Sulla The seven-time consul; victor over Jugurtha and over the Cimbri and Teutoni. Elvers, Karl-Ludwig (Bochum) [German version] A. The rise to political prominence Born c. 157 BC…

Epithet of many gentilicia [1]. Famous persons: the jurist Salvius I. [1]; the doctor I. [2]; the emperor I. [11], called ‘Apostata’; the bishops I. [16] of Aeclanum and I. [21] of Toledo. [German version] [1] L. Octavius Cornelius P. Salvius I. Aemilianus Roman jurist, 2nd cent. AD Jurist, born about AD 100 in North Africa, died about AD 170; he was a student of  Iavolenus [2] Priscus (Dig. 40,2,5) and the last head of the Sabinian law school (Dig. 1,2,2,53). I., whose succession of offices is preserved in the inscription from Pupput, provi…