Spurius Postumius Albinus was a politician of ancient Rome, of

patrician Patrician may refer to: * Patrician (ancient Rome), the original aristocratic families of ancient Rome, and a synonym for "aristocratic" in modern English usage * Patrician (post-Roman Europe), the governing elites of cities in parts of medieval ...

rank, of the 2nd century BC. He was

praetor peregrinus 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 ...

in 189 BC, responsible for Roman interests in foreign affairs; and

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 186 BC. In his consulship the ''

Senatus consultum de Bacchanalibus The ''senatus consultum de Bacchanalibus'' ("senatorial decree concerning the Bacchanalia") is a notable Old Latin inscription dating to 186 BC. It was discovered in 1640 at Tiriolo, in Calabria, southern Italy. Published by the presiding praetor, ...

'' was passed, reforming the mystery cult of

Bacchus In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, myth, Dionysus (; grc, wikt:Διόνυσος, Διόνυσος ) is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstas ...

in Rome and among her close allies on the Italian mainland. In Livy's account, this was a reaction to various abominable crimes committed by members of the cult, and its threat to the Roman state. More likely, the legislation represents an attempt by Postumius and the senate to impose traditional Roman values and collective authority over a well organised, unofficial civil and religious association that seemed dangerously popular, widespread and potentially subversive. The legislation followed close after a particularly traumatic and turbulent period in Rome's history; Postumius 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 ...

, which gave him a degree of religious authority. He died in 179 BC at an advanced age.

Livy Titus Livius (; 59 BC – AD 17), known in English as Livy ( ), was a Ancient Rome, Roman historian. He wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people, titled , covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome before the traditiona ...

, 40, 42;

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 ...

, ''

Cato Maior de Senectute ("Cato the Elder on Old Age") is an essay written by Cicero in 44 BC on the subject of aging and death. To lend his reflections greater import, Cicero wrote his essay such that the esteemed Cato the Elder was lecturing to Scipio Africanus and ...

'', 3.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Postumius Albinus, Spurius consul 568 AUC 3rd-century BC births 179 BC deaths 2nd-century BC Roman augurs 2nd-century BC Roman consuls 2nd-century BC Roman praetors Spurius consul 568 AUC Year of birth unknown

See also

References