Lucius Calpurnius Piso (also known to contemporaries as Lucius Calpurnius Piso the Augur) (died AD 24) was a Roman
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 appointed
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 ...
in 1 BC as the colleague of
Cossus Cornelius Lentulus Gaetulicus Cossus Cornelius Lentulus Gaetulicus was a Ancient Rome, Roman Roman senate, senator and general, who was Roman consul, consul in 1 BC with Lucius Calpurnius Piso the Augur as his colleague.
Originally born Cossus Cornelius Lentulus, Gaetulicus was ...
. He was also an
augur
An augur was a priest and official in the classical Roman world. His main role was the practice of augury, the interpretation of the will of the gods by studying the flight of birds. Determinations were based upon whether they were flying i ...
.
Life and career
Calpurnius Piso was 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 Calpurnia''. He was the son of
Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso, consul in 23 BC, and the brother of
Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso, the consul in 7 BC. The influence of his brother enabled him to achieve a rapid consulship. Afterwards Calpurnius Piso was appointed the
proconsul
A proconsul was an official of ancient Rome who acted on behalf of a consul. A proconsul was typically a former consul. The term is also used in recent history for officials with delegated authority.
In the Roman Republic, military command, or ' ...
ar
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
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
, possibly around AD 1.
In AD 16, after the treason trial and suicide of
Marcus Scribonius Libo
Marcus Scribonius Libo Drusus (died 13 September 16) was a Roman accused of treason against the emperor Tiberius.
Biography
Early life
He was likely the son or paternal grandson of Marcus Livius Drusus Libo (adopted brother of empress Livia). It ...
, Calpurnius Piso stated his disgust at the corruption of the judicial system. He declared he would leave Rome and live in self-imposed exile until his death. He was persuaded to remain in Rome by the
emperor
An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...
Tiberius
Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus (; 16 November 42 BC – 16 March AD 37) was the second Roman emperor. He reigned from AD 14 until 37, succeeding his stepfather, the first Roman emperor Augustus. Tiberius was born in Rome in 42 BC. His father ...
. In that same year, he attempted to bring to court
Urgulania
Urgulania ( fl. 24 AD), was a prominent noblewoman during the reigns of Augustus and Tiberius, due to her friendship with the empress Livia. She was the mother of the Roman general Marcus Plautius Silvanus (consul in 2 BC), who had distinguished ...
, an intimate friend of the emperor's mother,
Livia
Livia Drusilla (30 January 59 BC – 28 September AD 29) was a Roman empress from 27 BC to AD 14 as the wife of Roman emperor, Emperor Augustus Caesar. She was known as Julia Augusta after her formal Adoption in ancient Rome, adoption into the J ...
. She refused to attend, and took refuge in the palace, while Livia denounced Calpurnius Piso. Tiberius was forced to intervene, and Urgulania was forced to pay a fine.
In AD 20, Calpurnius Piso was one of the advocates who defended his brother who faced treason charges, as his brother had been suspected of having killed
Germanicus
Germanicus Julius Caesar (24 May 15 BC – 10 October AD 19) was an ancient Roman general, known for his campaigns in Germania. The son of Nero Claudius Drusus and Antonia the Younger, Germanicus was born into an influential branch of the Patric ...
. Then in AD 24, Piso was brought up on charges of ''
maiestas'', but died before his case could come before a court.
[Syme, p. 376]
An
augur
An augur was a priest and official in the classical Roman world. His main role was the practice of augury, the interpretation of the will of the gods by studying the flight of birds. Determinations were based upon whether they were flying i ...
, Calpurnius Piso was described as having a ferocious and violent temper, and was a man who spoke his mind to Tiberius. He was married to
Statilia
''Statilia'' is a genus of praying mantis that resembles dead or living grass. ''Statilia'' species live in Australia, Africa, Asia and islands.
Species
The ''Mantodea Species File'' lists:
*'' Statilia agresta'' Zheng, 1987
*'' Statilia apical ...
.
See also
*
List of Roman consuls
This is a list of consuls known to have held office, from the beginning of the Roman Republic to the latest use of the title in Imperial times, together with those magistrates of the Republic who were appointed in place of consuls, or who superse ...
References
Sources
* Syme, Ronald, ''The Augustan Aristocracy'' (1986).
Clarendon Press
Oxford University Press (OUP) is the university press of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world, and its printing history dates back to the 1480s. Having been officially granted the legal right to print books ...
.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Calpurnius Piso, Lucius
1st-century BC Romans
1st-century Romans
24 deaths
Senators of the Roman Empire
Imperial Roman consuls
Augurs of the Roman Empire
Roman governors of Asia
Year of birth unknown
Calpurnii Pisones