Fonteius Capito 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 letter ...

senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

, who was active during the reign 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 un ...

. 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 ...

for the year 67 as the colleague of Lucius Julius Rufus. Capito came from a

plebeian In ancient Rome, the plebeians (also called plebs) were the general body of free Roman citizens who were not patricians, as determined by the census, or in other words " commoners". Both classes were hereditary. Etymology The precise origins of ...

family whose members had reached the rank of

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 vario ...

since the 2nd century BC, but none had achieved the consulate until the end of the Republic, in 33 BC, when Gaius Fonteius Capito did so. According to

Cicero Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, and academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises that led to the estab ...

, the Fonteii came from

Tusculum Tusculum is a ruined Roman city in the Alban Hills, in the Latium region of Italy. Tusculum was most famous in Roman times for the many great and luxurious patrician country villas sited close to the city, yet a comfortable distance from Rome ( ...

. Capito was probably the son or grandson of the eponymous consul of the year 12; his brother Gaius Fonteius Capito was one of the consuls of the year 59. Capito's only known office was as governor of the imperial province of

Germania Inferior Germania Inferior ("Lower Germania") was a Roman province from AD 85 until the province was renamed Germania Secunda in the fourth century, on the west bank of the Rhine bordering the North Sea. The capital of the province was Colonia Agrippin ...

. He assisted in the suppression of the revolt of

Vindex Gaius Julius Vindex (c. AD 2568) was a Roman Empire, Roman governor in the province of Gallia Lugdunensis. He was of a noble Gauls, Gallic family of Aquitania (given senatorial status under Claudius) and was one of the men belonging to a faction ...

, as well as having the Batavian king Julius Paullus Civilis executed and his brother Julius Civilis arrested and sent to Rome. Soon after Nero took his life and

Galba Galba (; born Servius Sulpicius Galba; 24 December 3 BC – 15 January AD 69) was the sixth Roman emperor, ruling from AD 68 to 69. After his adoption by his stepmother, and before becoming emperor, he was known as Livius Ocella Sulpicius Ga ...

became emperor, Capito was executed by the orders of the

legionary The Roman legionary (in Latin ''legionarius'', plural ''legionarii'') was a professional heavy infantryman of the Roman army after the Marian reforms. These soldiers would conquer and defend the territories of ancient Rome during the late Republi ...

commanders Cornelius Aquinus and

Fabius Valens Fabius Valens of Anagnia (died 69) was a Roman commander favoured by Nero. Valens was an undisciplined character but not without talent; he tried to portray himself as witty by behaving frivolously. In 69 he was commander of Legio I ''Germanica' ...

, allegedly because he was plotting against Galba.

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

records some believed that although Capito was "foully stained with avarice and profligacy", he was otherwise loyal to Galba and instead Aquinus and Valens were the ones intriguing against Galba; to hide their treason they accused Capito, who, once dead, could not respond to these accusations. The troops believed that a third commander, Julius Burdo, commander of the Rhine Fleet, was also responsible for Capito's death; he was held in prison to save his life.Tacitus, ''Histories'', I.58

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fonteius Capito 1st-century Romans Imperial Roman consuls Roman governors of Germania Inferior

Capito ''Capito'' is a genus of birds in the family Capitonidae. They are found in humid forests in South America, with a single species extending into eastern Panama. Slightly larger than the members of the genus '' Eubucco'', members of the genus '' ...

68 deaths Year of birth unknown