Aulus Caecina Alienus ( 40 – 79) was a Roman general active during the

Year of the Four Emperors The Year of the Four Emperors, AD 69, was the first civil war of the Roman Empire, during which four emperors ruled in succession: Galba, Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian. It is considered an important interval, marking the transition from ...

Biography

Caecina was born in Vicetia (modern

Vicenza Vicenza ( , ; ) is a city in northeastern Italy. It is in the Veneto region at the northern base of the '' Monte Berico'', where it straddles the Bacchiglione River. Vicenza is approximately west of Venice and east of Milan. Vicenza is a t ...

) around 40 A.D. He was ''

quaestor A ( , , ; "investigator") was a public official in Ancient Rome. There were various types of quaestors, with the title used to describe greatly different offices at different times. In the Roman Republic, quaestors were elected officials who ...

'' of Hispania Baetica (southern

Iberia The Iberian Peninsula (), ** * Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica'' ** ** * french: Péninsule Ibérique * mwl, Península Eibérica * eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula A peninsula (; ) is a la ...

) in 68 A.D. On the death of

Nero Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68), was the fifth Roman emperor and final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 unt ...

, he attached himself to Galba, who appointed him to the command of Legio IV Macedonica at

Mogontiacum Mainz () is the capital and largest city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Mainz is on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite to the place that the Main joins the Rhine. Downstream of the confluence, the Rhine flows to the north-west, with Main ...

in Germania Superior (Upper Germany). In 68 A.D, as quaestor, his job was to control the public monies of the senatorial province of Baetica. Before the end of 68 AD, Galba was informed that Caecina had diverted funds into his own pocket. After a trial, Galba convicted him for misappropriation of funds. Having been prosecuted for embezzling public money, Caecina went over to

Vitellius Aulus Vitellius (; ; 24 September 1520 December 69) was Roman emperor for eight months, from 19 April to 20 December AD 69. Vitellius was proclaimed emperor following the quick succession of the previous emperors Galba and Otho, in a year of c ...

, who sent him across the Swiss plateau with troops from Germania Superior. During this campaign, as recorded by Tacitus, he pillaged

Aquae Helveticae Aquae Helveticae was a vicus and mineral spa established in the 1st century AD near the Roman legion camp of Vindonissa. It is in and was the origin of the name of Baden in Switzerland. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance. Hist ...

after engagements between the Legio XXI Rapax and the Helvetii, and later defeated the Helvetii under Claudius Severus at Bözberg. Vitellius then sent him with a large army into Italy. Caecina crossed the Alps through the Great St. Bernard Pass, but was defeated near Cremona by

Suetonius Paulinus Gaius Suetonius Paulinus (fl. AD 41–69) was a Roman general best known as the commander who defeated the rebellion of Boudica. Early life Little is known of Suetonius' family, but it likely came from Pisaurum (modern Pesaro), a town on the Ad ...

, the chief general of Otho. Subsequently, in conjunction with Fabius Valens, Caecina defeated Otho at the decisive First Battle of Bedriacum. The incapacity of Vitellius tempted

Vespasian Vespasian (; la, Vespasianus ; 17 November AD 9 – 23/24 June 79) was a Roman emperor who reigned from AD 69 to 79. The fourth and last emperor who reigned in the Year of the Four Emperors, he founded the Flavian dynasty that ruled the Em ...

to take up arms against him. Caecina, who had been entrusted with the repression of the revolt, turned traitor, and tried to persuade his army to go over to Vespasian, but was thrown into chains by the soldiers. After the overthrow of Vitellius, he was released, and taken into favor by the new emperor. In 79 A.D he was implicated, along with Eprius Marcellus, in a conspiracy against Vespasian, and was executed in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus ( legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

by order of Vespasian's son

Titus Titus Caesar Vespasianus ( ; 30 December 39 – 13 September 81 AD) was Roman emperor from 79 to 81. A member of the Flavian dynasty, Titus succeeded his father Vespasian upon his death. Before becoming emperor, Titus gained renown as a mili ...

. It was said that Caecina was planning to overthrow the Flavians by inciting the troops. Titus had discovered a speech written in Caecina’s own hand that he intended to read to the soldiers to execute his plan.

Tacitus Publius Cornelius Tacitus, known simply as Tacitus ( , ; – ), was a Roman historian and politician. Tacitus is widely regarded as one of the greatest Roman historians by modern scholars. The surviving portions of his two major works—the ...

described Caecina as a man of handsome presence and boundless ambition, a gifted orator and a great favourite with the soldiers.

References

, ''

Histories Histories or, in Latin, Historiae may refer to: * the plural of history * ''Histories'' (Herodotus), by Herodotus * ''The Histories'', by Timaeus * ''The Histories'' (Polybius), by Polybius * ''Histories'' by Gaius Sallustius Crispus (Sallust), ...

'', i. 53, 61, 67–70, ii. 20–25, 41–44, iii. 13; Dio Cassius Ixv. 10–14, Ixvi. 16;

Plutarch Plutarch (; grc-gre, Πλούταρχος, ''Ploútarchos''; ; – after AD 119) was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi. He is known primarily for his ...

, ''Otho'', 7;

Suetonius Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus (), commonly referred to as Suetonius ( ; c. AD 69 – after AD 122), was a Roman historian who wrote during the early Imperial era of the Roman Empire. His most important surviving work is a set of biographies ...

, ''Titus'', 6; Zonaras xi. 17.

External links

Encyclopædia Britannica Aulus Caecina Alienus
1st-century Romans 40 births 79 deaths 1st-century executions Ancient Roman generals Alienus, Aulus Executed ancient Roman people Generals of Galba Generals of Nero Generals of Vitellius Generals of Vespasian People from Vicenza Suffect consuls of Imperial Rome {{AncientRome-bio-stub

Biography

See also

References

External links