Caecina Mavortius Basilius Decius ( 486–510) was a Roman politician under

Odoacer Odoacer ( ; – 15 March 493 AD), also spelled Odovacer or Odovacar, was a soldier and statesman of barbarian background, who deposed the child emperor Romulus Augustulus and became Rex/Dux (476–493). Odoacer's overthrow of Romulus Augustul ...

's rule. He was

consul Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states throug ...

and ''

Praefectus urbi The ''praefectus urbanus'', also called ''praefectus urbi'' or urban prefect in English, was prefect of the city of Rome, and later also of Constantinople. The office originated under the Roman kings, continued during the Republic and Empire, and ...

'' of Rome in 486 and Praetorian prefect of Italy from 486 to 493.

Life

Decius was the son of

Caecina Decius Basilius Caecina Decius Basilius ( 458–468) was a politician of the Western Roman Empire, roman consul, Consul and twice Praetorian prefect of Italy. Biography Basilius belonged to the Italian nobility, and was member of the influential Caecinia gens, ' ...

, consul in 463, and brother of Decius Marius Venantius Basilius (consul in 484), and Basilius (consul in 480, identified with

Caecina Decius Maximus Basilius Caecina Decius Maximus Basilius ( 480–483), was a Roman politician. He was the first consul appointed under Odoacer's rule (480), and afterwards was Praetorian prefect of Italy.John Moorhead"The Decii under Theoderic" '' Historia: Zeitschrift ...

); thus he was member of the ''gens'' Caecinia. He had a son, Vettius Agorius Basilius Mavortius, who was consul in 527. Decius returned to favor under the rule of Theodoric the Great, by reclaiming a portion of the

Pontine Marshes 250px, Lake Fogliano, a coastal lagoon in the Pontine Plain The Pontine Marshes (, also ; it, Agro Pontino , formerly also ''Paludi Pontine''; la, Pomptinus Ager by Titus Livius, ''Pomptina Palus'' (singular) and ''Pomptinae Paludes'' (plur ...

at his own expense. He was praised for this in a letter signed by Theodoric, and Decius set up an inscription at

Terracina Terracina is an Italian city and ''comune'' of the province of Latina, located on the coast southeast of Rome on the Via Appia ( by rail). The site has been continuously occupied since antiquity. History Ancient times Terracina appears in anci ...

stating this was done by the command of king Theodoric. Around 510, Decius was one of five senators appointed to investigate charges that the ''

vir inlustris The title ''vir illustris'' ('illustrious man') is used as a formal indication of standing in late antiquity to describe the highest ranks within the senates of Rome and Constantinople. All senators had the title ''vir clarissimus'' ('very famous ...

'' Basilius and Praetextatus had practiced black magic.Cassiodorus, ''Variae'' IV.22; translated by Barnish, ''Cassiodorus'', pp. 77f

Notes

Bibliography

* Bury, John Bagnell, ''History of the Later Roman Empire'', vol. 1 (Courier Dover Publications, 1958) , p. 409. (The reference is both very slight and secondary, and should probably be omitted; but if kept, the work is online in its entirety, and the passage i
here
) {{DEFAULTSORT:Decius, Caecina Mavortius Basilius 5th-century Romans 5th-century Roman consuls Caecinae Caecina Mavortius Basilius Imperial Roman consuls Praetorian prefects of Italy Urban prefects of Rome Year of death unknown Year of birth unknown