Gnaeus Octavius 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 ...
of the
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic ( la, Res publica Romana ) was a form of government of Rome and the era of the classical Roman civilization when it was run through public representation of the Roman people. Beginning with the overthrow of the Roman Kin ...
in 76 BC. His father Marcus Octavius was possibly either the
Marcus who was the ''
tribunus plebis'' in 133 BC, political opponent of
Tiberius Gracchus
Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus ( 163 – 133 BC) was a Roman politician best known for his agrarian law, agrarian reform law entailing the transfer of land from the Roman state and wealthy landowners to poorer citizens. He had also serve ...
, or the
Marcus who was also ''tribunus plebis'' and brought forward a law raising the price at which corn was sold to the people.
A member of the
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 ...
gens Octavia, Gnaeus Octavius was elected
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 ...
by 79 BC at the latest. He may have been the ''praetor urbanus'' who introduced the ''
Formula Octaviana'', a law which provided for the restoration of property and money which had been obtained by violent acts, or by threats of violence. Gnaeus Octavius was elected
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 76 BC, with
Gaius Scribonius Curio as his colleague.
Scorned as an orator, he was also plagued with attacks of
gout
Gout ( ) is a form of inflammatory arthritis characterized by recurrent attacks of a red, tender, hot and swollen joint, caused by deposition of monosodium urate monohydrate crystals. Pain typically comes on rapidly, reaching maximal intensit ...
, which eventually made it impossible for him to walk.
[Smith, pg. 8]
See also
*
Octavia (gens)
The gens Octavia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome, which was raised to patrician status by Caesar during the first century BC. The first member of the gens to achieve prominence was Gnaeus Octavius Rufus, quaestor ''circa'' 230 BC. Over t ...
References
Sources
* Brennan, T. Corey, ''The Praetorship in the Roman Republic, Volume 2'' (2000)
*
Broughton, T. Robert S., ''The Magistrates of the Roman Republic'', Vol. II (1951)
* Smith, William, ''Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology'', Vol III (1867).
{{DEFAULTSORT:Octavius, Gaius
1st-century BC Roman consuls
Senators of the Roman Republic
Year of birth unknown
Year of death unknown
Octavii Rufi