Marcus Livius Drusus Libo was an ancient Roman consul of the early Roman Empire. He was the son of

Lucius Scribonius Libo Several men of plebeian status were named Lucius Scribonius Libo during the Roman Republic and Roman Empire; they were members of the ''gens'' Scribonia. L. Scribonius Libo (praetor 204 BC) Lucius Scribonius Libo was a tribune of the plebs in 216 ...

by an unknown wife and adopted brother of Roman empress

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 Emperor Augustus Caesar. She was known as Julia Augusta after her formal adoption into the Julian family in AD 14. Livia was the d ...

. His natural paternal aunt was Scribonia, the second wife of

Augustus Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pr ...

, as a consequence of which he was a maternal first cousin of Julia Caesaris.

Biography

He is believed to have been adopted by

Marcus Livius Drusus Claudianus Marcus Livius Drusus Claudianus (born no later than 93 BC – died 42 BC) was a senator and praetor of the Roman Republic. He was born with the name ''Appius Claudius Pulcher'', into the patrician family of the Claudii Pulchri but adopted by ...

, the father of

Livia Drusilla Livia Drusilla (30 January 59 BC – 28 September AD 29) was a Roman empress from 27 BC to AD 14 as the wife of Emperor Augustus Caesar. She was known as Julia Augusta after her formal adoption into the Julian family in AD 14. Livia was the d ...

, who was the third wife of

. However, as a result of his 'L.f.' filiation attested in Book 54 of the ''Roman History'' of Cassius Dio, it is believed that his adoption was only testamentary (whereby the adoptee is permitted to use, and therefore carry on, the name of the adoptor). The career of Marcus Livius Drusus Libo is largely unknown, except that he was ordinary consul in 15 BC with Lucius Calpurnius Piso. Livius Drusus served as an

aedile ''Aedile'' ( ; la, aedīlis , from , "temple edifice") was an elected office of the Roman Republic. Based in Rome, the aediles were responsible for maintenance of public buildings () and regulation of public festivals. They also had powers to enf ...

in 28 BC, shortly before the Pantheon in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus ( legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

was completed. Historian

Pliny the Elder Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/2479), called Pliny the Elder (), was a Roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the emperor Vespasian. He wrote the encyclopedic ...

mentions him among those in

who hosted the

Secular Games The Saecular Games ( la, Ludi saeculares, originally ) was a Roman religious celebration involving sacrifices and theatrical performances, held in ancient Rome for three days and nights to mark the end of a and the beginning of the next. A , s ...

during Augustus’ reign. There is also a possibility that he was a member of the Arval Brethren.

Marriage and family

No wife is attested for Marcus Livius Drusus Libo but there has been speculation that he was married to a Pompeia.

Christian Settipani Christian Settipani (born 31 January 1961) is a French genealogist, historian and IT professional, currently working as the Technical Director of a company in Paris. Biography Settipani holds a Master of Advanced Studies from the Paris-Sor ...

has speculated that she may have been a Cornelia.

Livia Medullina Camilla Furia Livia Medullina Camilla (ca. 6 BC-ca 10 AD) was the second fiancee of the future Emperor Claudius. Biography Medullina was the daughter of Marcus Furius Camillus consul in AD 8, who was a close friend of the emperor Tiberius and Livia Sc ...

, whom

Claudius Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (; 1 August 10 BC – 13 October AD 54) was the fourth Roman emperor, ruling from AD 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, Claudius was born to Drusus and Antonia Minor ...

was intended to marry in 8 but who died on the day of their wedding, is assumed to be his granddaughter, based on her name. Her name has led to speculations that she was the daughter of

Marcus Furius Camillus Marcus Furius Camillus (; c. 446 – 365 BC) was a Roman soldier and statesman of the patrician class. According to Livy and Plutarch, Camillus triumphed four times, was five times dictator, and was honoured with the title of ''Second Founder ...

and a woman named 'Livia', theorised to be the daughter of Marcus Livius Drusus Libo. This speculated woman has been nicknamed ''Livia Scriboniana'' by historians. The men Marcus Scribonius Libo Drusus and

may also have been his sons or grandsons, or possibly adopted fraternal nephews.

Footnotes

References

Cassius Dio Lucius Cassius Dio (), also known as Dio Cassius ( ), was a Roman historian and senator of maternal Greek origin. He published 80 volumes of the history on ancient Rome, beginning with the arrival of Aeneas in Italy. The volumes documented the ...

, ''Roman History'

* Gardner, J.F.; ''Family and familia in Roman law and life'' (Oxford University Press, 1998) , * Syme, Ronald; Augustan Aristocracy (Oxford University Press, 1989). , * Suetonius, ''Life of Claudius'

* Weinrib, E.J.; 'The Family Connections of M. Livius Drusus Libo', ''Harvard Studies in Classical Philology'', 72 (1968), pp. 247–278. {{DEFAULTSORT:Livius Drusus Libo, Marcus Roman aediles Drusus Libo, Marcus 1st-century BC births 1st-century BC Romans Imperial Roman consuls Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown Ancient Roman adoptees