Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus was a politician of

ancient Rome In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom (753–509 BC ...

in the 1st century BC. The son of Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, and brother of Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; his name in Latin means "brazen beard", from ' - "brazen, bronze-colored", and ', itself from ', the Latin word for "beard". He married Cornelia, daughter of

Lucius Cornelius Cinna Lucius Cornelius Cinna (died 84 BC) was a four-time consul of the Roman Republic, serving four consecutive terms from 87 to 84 BC, and a member of the ancient Roman Cinna family of the Cornelia gens. Cinna's influence in Rome exacerb ...

, who 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 throu ...

in 87 BC. In the

civil war A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

between Marius and Sulla, Ahenobarbus took the side of the former. When Sulla obtained the supreme power in 82 BC, Ahenobarbus was

proscribed Proscription ( la, proscriptio) is, in current usage, a 'decree of condemnation to death or banishment' (''Oxford English Dictionary'') and can be used in a political context to refer to state-approved murder or banishment. The term originated ...

, and fled to

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

, where he was joined by many who were in the same condition as himself. With the assistance of the Numidian king, Hiarbas, he collected an army, but was defeated in the

Battle of Utica The Battle of Utica took place early in 240 BC between a Carthaginian army commanded by Hanno and a force of rebellious mutineers possibly led by Spendius. It was the first major engagement of the Mercenary War between Carthage and the comb ...

Pompey Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (; 29 September 106 BC – 28 September 48 BC), known in English as Pompey or Pompey the Great, was a leading Roman general and statesman. He played a significant role in the transformation of ...

, whom Sulla had sent against him, and was afterwards killed in the storming of his camp, in 81 BC. According to some accounts, he was executed after the battle on the orders of Pompey (who was probably acting on Sulla's orders himself).

Valerius Maximus Valerius Maximus () was a 1st-century Latin writer and author of a collection of historical anecdotes: ''Factorum ac dictorum memorabilium libri IX'' ("Nine books of memorable deeds and sayings", also known as ''De factis dictisque memorabilibus'' ...

, vi. 2. § 8

References

2nd-century BC births 81 BC deaths Year of birth unknown Domitii Ahenobarbi 1st-century BC Romans Ancient Romans killed in action {{AncientRome-politician-stub