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[German version] From Bruttium; in 36 BC, sent to Sicily with three legions by M. Vipsanius Agrippa [1] during the fighting against Sex. Pompeius to support Octavian, and afterwards acclaimed as imperator (CIL X 8041,18). Suffect consul in 33 with L. Vicinius (CIL I2 p. 66 = Fasti Venusini). …

Roman gens, originally from the Sabine area, from which only a few individuals can be identified, all of those in the troubles of the Civil War. [German version] [1] L., P. Partisan of Pompey, taken prisoner in 49 BC near Ilerda and pardoned when he promised neutrality, executed in 46 AD near Thapsus as he had broken his word Partisan of Pompey. Taken prisoner in 49 BC near Ilerda as an officer in the army of L. Afranius [1] and pardoned when he promised future neutrality. Again among Caesar's adversaries in Thessalia and Africa: Caesar had him, who had…

[German version] The marathon as an agonistic discipline is an invention of the modern age. Longer foot races than the dólichos (max. 24 stadia = c. 4∙6 km) were not known to antiquity. Just as the dólichos was originally run in the context of the training of messengers ( hēmerodrómoi; dromokḗrykes), the marathon was ultimately part of (military) communication. The ancient tradition regarding the narration of the unique marathon after the Persian battle (490 BC) is scant: according to Plutarch (Mor. 347c) an Athenian hoplite in armour ( hoplitai ) ran from the bat…

[German version] Ridiculed by Horace (Hor. Sat. 2,8) as the nouveau riche host of a dinner for Maecenas [2] and his poet friends that, for all its opulence and refinement, ends in banal mishap. (The nomen gentile is attested in only one other place, on an inscription from Cologne: CIL XIII 8270). Frigo, Thomas (Bonn)

[German version] Daughter of the famous orator Q. Hortensius [7] Hortalus. She is praised for having inherited the abilities of her father (Val. Max. 8,3,3; Quint. Inst. 1,1,6). In 42 BC, H. appeared successfully in the forum as a spokesman for prosperous Roman women against an exceptional war tax imposed by the triumvirs (App. B Civ. 4,135-146). Frigo, Thomas (Bonn) Bibliography M. H. Dettenhofer, Frauen in polit. Krisen, in: Id. (ed.), Reine Männersache?, 1994, 140f.

[German version] (Φειδιππίδης; Pheidippídēs). Courier ( hēmeródromos) from Athens, who after the Persians' landing at Marathon (490 BC) was sent to the Lacedaemonians with a request for support troops (Hdt. 6,105f.; Persian Wars); haunted by a vision of Pan on Mount Parthenium in Arcadia, he reached S…

[German version] [1] N., L. Cnaeus Pompey's fleet commander in 49 BC Cnaeus Pompeius's fleet commander. In 49 BC he was sent out with a squadron from Dyrrhachium to Massalia to support L. Domitius [I 8] Ahenobarbus (Caes. B Civ. 2,3,1f.. Once th…

Roman gens, evident in the names of some individuals of the late Republican period, also in the Greak-speaking areas (CIL I2 2247). [German version] [1] M. Rufus, L. Quaestor 51 BC, assigned to Cicero in Cilicia…

Uncommon gentilicium name that is unlikely to be related to the tribe of the Ligures and that is epigraphically attested during the Republic in Rome (CIL I2 1092) and Praeneste (CIL I2 1449). [German version] [1] L., A. Friend of Caesar and the brothers of Cicer…

Roman gens name (probably Etruscan root), encountered in the late Republic and early Imperial period, it is however rather rare. I. Republican period [German version] [I 1] L. Regulus, L. Acquaintance of Cicero, who probably shared Cicero's banishment to Greece in 58 BC…

Uncommon Roman family name; a few gentiles are identifiable as merchants in Greece (Delos, Asia Minor) during the later Republican period, e.g. a M.M. who died in Elis (Cic. fam. 5,20,2; 20,8; 13,26,2; 28,2). [German version] [1] M. Marcellus, M. Officer of the fleet from 38 BC From Velitrae, the home of Octavian ( Augustus), whom M. probably knew from his youth (App. civ. 5,422). Speculated in property with the encouragement of Caesar (Cic. fam. 15,17,2). Under the latter's adoptive son Octavian, a career as officer of the fleet from 38 BC:…

Gens name of Oscan origin. During the Republican period there is evidence of individuals bearing this name in Campania (e.g. ILS 5347) and in the Greek areas (IG XII 9,845). I. Republican period [German version] [I 1] M., C. Tribune of the plebs 57 BC, called for Cicero's return from exile In 57 BC as people's tribune, M. called for Cicero's return from exile (initially without success: Cic. P. red. in sen. 21). Partisan of Pompey (Cic. Att. 4,1,7; 8,11D,2). 55 (plebeian?) aedile (organizer of the Floralia : Val. Max. 2,10,8). In 54 subsequently discovered…

[German version] [1] Matius, C. Friend of Cicero and Caesar, who sought to mediate between them in 53 BC. Contemporary and friend of Cicero (Cic. Fam. 11,27f.) and Caesar, who played a kind of mediating role between the two. In 53 BC he was in Gaul (Cic. Fam. 7,15,2) with Caesar, for whom M. remained a useful assistant even after the outbreak of the Civil War, although he tended to operate behind the scenes. In the summer of 47, M. was the addressee of the message announcing Caesar's victory at Zela, which became proverbial (‘I came, I saw, I conquered’: veni, vidi, vici, Plut. Caesar 50,3: the …

Name of a Roman gens, more frequently attested from the late Republic, though rooted in the early period of Rome as indicated by a street name, the vicus Instei(an)us on the southern peak of the Quirinal, the collis Latiaris (Varro, Ling. 5,52; Liv. 24,10,8). I. Republic [German version] [I 1] I., L. Fought in the Social War [3] in 89 BC, in 76 BC under Sertorius Served in the  Social War [3] in 89 BC under Cn. Pompeius Strabo outside Asculum (ILLRP 515); probably identical with the legate who fought on  Sertorius' side in Spain in 76 (Liv. 91, fr. 22: here also a C.I. as praefectus equitum, a broth…

Plebeian nomen gentile of Etruscan origin, more frequent references only towards the end of the Republic. I. Republican period [German version] [I 1] L. Military tribune 258 BC Military tribune during the First Punic War, in 258 BC he secured the retreat of consul A. Atilius [I 14] Calatinus (Claudius Quadrigarius fr. 42 HRR) near Camarina. All 400 legionaries of L. were killed, he himself survived badly wounded, but nevertheless was celebrated as ‘The Leonidas of Rome’ (Gell. NA 3,7,21). Other war heroes mentioned are: Q. Caedici…

Roman family name, probably derived from the Latin city of Norba [1] (‘man from Norba’). The family first attained Roman citizenship with N. [I 1], owing its advancement to Caesar and Augustus, and then disappeared. In the Imperial period N. was also a cognomen. I. Republican period [German version] [I 1] N., C. Praetor 89 BC, homo novus Novus homo of non-Roman descent (the nomen gentile indicates origins from Norba [1]). As people's tribune in 103 BC and follower of L. Appuleius [I 11] Saturninus, he brought a case against C. Servilius Caepio ( cos. 106) over the defeat at Arausio in …

The praenomen Mettus is known for only two people in th…

Nomen gentile of Etruscan origin; the family, which belonged to Rome's equestrian class, came from northern Picenum (Cic. Rab. perd. 22; Caes. B Civ. 1,15,2). [German version] [1] L., Q. Slain in the Curia c. 100 BC Uncle of L. [3], supported L. Ap(p)uleius [I 11] Saturninus in 100 BC and was slain at his side in the Curia on the Forum Romanum (Cic. Rab. perd. 14; 18; 20-22; Oros. 5,17,9). Frigo, Thomas (Bonn) [German version] [2] L. (Parthicus), Q. Commander in Asia Minor and Armenia c. 40 BC…

Name of a Roman plebeian family, probably derived not from hortus but from the place names Hortense, Hortenses [1. 660; 2. 175; 177; 534]. The first definitely attested bearer of the name is H. [4], the most prominent member the orator H. [7]. Family tree: [3. 75]. [German version] [1] H., L. Praetor 170 BC As praetor in 170 BC commanded the fleet in the third Macedonian War (honours in Athens: IG II2 907, and Delos: IDélos III 461 Aa 83). He conquered Abdera, sold its population into slavery, and oppressed Chalcis, but had to rescind his orders by instruction o…