Aulus Platorius Nepos was a

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

senator who held a number of appointments in the imperial service, including the governorship of Britain. He was suffect consul succeeding the ''consul posterior'' Publius Dasumius Rusticus as the colleague of the emperor Hadrian for March to April 119 AD. Anthony Birley notes that Nepos' career "in two important respects was an unusual one for a governor of Britain. In the first place, it is the only example recorded before the time of

Severus Alexander Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander (1 October 208 – 21/22 March 235) was a Roman emperor, who reigned from 222 until 235. He was the last emperor from the Severan dynasty. He succeeded his slain cousin Elagabalus in 222. Alexander himself was ...

of a man who had begun his career in the least favored post in the vigintivirate, the ''tresviri capitales'', later receiving an emperor's backing in his candidature for a higher post.... Secondly, this is only one of three known instances (the others being those of L. Flavius Silva (''ord''. 81) and C. Bruttius Praesens (II ''ord''. 139) of such men proceeding to the consulship after a single senior praetorian appointment."Birley, ''The ''Fasti'' of Roman Britain'', (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1981) p. 102

Life

It is unclear where he was born and raised, but because he was explicitly described as a friend of the emperor Hadrian before his accession, and both share the same tribe (Sergia), Birley states that it is "not improbable" that Nepos came from Southern Spain; he notes that the nomen Platorius is attested in

Baetica Hispania Baetica, often abbreviated Baetica, was one of three Roman provinces in Hispania (the Iberian Peninsula). Baetica was bordered to the west by Lusitania, and to the northeast by Hispania Tarraconensis. Baetica remained one of the basi ...

.Birley, ''Fasti'', p. 101 In the final years of the 1st century Nepos served as a military tribune with

Legio XXII Primigenia Legio XXII Primigenia ("Fortune's Twenty-Second Legion") was a legion of the Imperial Roman army dedicated to the goddess Fortuna Primigenia. Founded in AD 39 by the emperor Caligula for use in his campaigns in Germania, the XXII ''Primigenia' ...

Mainz 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 Ma ...

under the eye of the governor of Germania Superior, who brought him to the attention of

Trajan Trajan ( ; la, Caesar Nerva Traianus; 18 September 539/11 August 117) was Roman emperor from 98 to 117. Officially declared ''optimus princeps'' ("best ruler") by the senate, Trajan is remembered as a successful soldier-emperor who presi ...

, who, in turn, directly supported his candidacy for senatorial offices. Nepos likely became

praetor Praetor ( , ), also pretor, was the title granted by the government of Ancient Rome to a man acting in one of two official capacities: (i) the commander of an army, and (ii) as an elected '' magistratus'' (magistrate), assigned to discharge vari ...

in 111, then curator of the three roads in Etruria in 112 and 113 before becoming legate of

Legio I Adiutrix Legio I Adiutrix ( First Legion "Rescuer"), was a legion of the Imperial Roman army founded in AD 68, possibly by Galba when he rebelled against emperor Nero (r. 54–68). The last record mentioning the ''Adiutrix'' is in 344, when it was stati ...

during Trajan's Parthian campaigns. Upon Hadrian assuming the imperial throne, Nepos was made governor of

Thracia Thracia or Thrace ( ''Thrakē'') is the ancient name given to the southeastern Balkan region, the land inhabited by the Thracians. Thrace was ruled by the Odrysian kingdom during the Classical and Hellenistic eras, and briefly by the Greek D ...

, then suffect consul in the spring of 119. Shortly afterwards he was made

governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

of Germania Inferior, and while governor received Hadrian during his tour in 121. He accompanied Hadrian to

Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...

in 122, when he was made governor of that province, and oversaw the construction of Hadrian's Wall. He probably brought

Legio VI Victrix Legio VI Victrix ("Victorious Sixth Legion") was a legion of the Imperial Roman army founded in 41 BC by the general Octavian (who, as Augustus, later became Rome's first emperor). It was the twin legion of VI ''Ferrata'' and perhaps held vet ...

with him from the continent to assist in the construction and perhaps to replace

Legio IX Hispana Legio IX Hispana ("9th Spanish Legion"), also written Legio VIIII Hispana, was a legion of the Imperial Roman army that existed from the 1st century BC until at least 120 AD. The legion fought in various provinces of the late Roman ...

which had left around 108. His tenure as governor of Roman Britain is securely dated by two military diplomas, one dated to 17 July 122, and the other to 15 September 124. Nepos sought no further office after his time in Britain. Bricks bearing his name, and dated to 134, show he owned a brickworks near Rome. At some point Nepos held the augurate. The '' Historia Augusta'' twice records how Hadrian came to dislike his old friend, which Birley attempts to explain, for the ''Historia'' is considered an unreliable source. Birley suggests that A. Platorius Nepos Calpurnianus, curator of the Tiber in 161, was his son.Birley, ''Fasti'', p. 105

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Platorius Nepos, Aulus 1st-century Romans 2nd-century Romans Roman governors of Thracia Suffect consuls of Imperial Rome Roman governors of Britain Roman governors of Germania Inferior Augurs of the Roman Empire Nepos