Lucius Octavius (c. 11674 BC) was a Roman politician who 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 throu ...

in 75 BC.

Biography

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 ...

gens Octavia, and the son of

Gnaeus Octavius (consul 87 BC) Gnaeus Octavius (died 87 BC) was a Roman senator who was elected consul of the Roman Republic in 87 BC alongside Lucius Cornelius Cinna. He died during the chaos that accompanied the capture of Rome by Cinna and Gaius Marius. Early career Gnaeus ...

, Lucius 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 vari ...

by 78 BC at the latest. He is suspected by the historian

Thomas Robert Shannon Broughton Thomas Robert Shannon Broughton, FBA (; 17 February 1900 – 17 September 1993) was a Canadian classical scholar and leading Latin prosopographer of the twentieth century. He is especially noted for his definitive three-volume work, '' Magist ...

to have been the author of 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. In 75 BC Lucius Octavius was elected

alongside

Gaius Aurelius Cotta Gaius Aurelius Cotta (124–73 BC) was a Roman statesman, orator, priest, and Academic Skeptic; he is not to be confused with Gaius Aurelius Cotta who was twice Consul in the 3rd century BC. Life Born in 124 BC, he was the uncle to Julius Caesa ...

. During the later stages of his consulate, both Lucius Octavius and his colleague were attacked by crowds along the

Via Sacra The Via Sacra (, "''Sacred Street''") was the main street of ancient Rome, leading from the top of the Capitoline Hill, through some of the most important religious sites of the Forum (where it is the widest street), to the Colosseum. The ro ...

while they were campaigning on behalf of

Quintus Caecilius Metellus Creticus Quintus Caecilius Metellus Creticus (c. 114 BC – late 50s BC) was a politically active member of the Roman upper class. He was praetor in 74 BC and pontifex from 73 BC until his death. He was consul in 69 BC along with Quintus Hortensius Hortalu ...

’ campaign for the praetorship. Both men had to take refuge in Lucius Octavius’ house. For his

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 ' ...

governorship 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 ...

, Lucius Octavius was allotted the province of

Cilicia Cilicia (); el, Κιλικία, ''Kilikía''; Middle Persian: ''klkyʾy'' (''Klikiyā''); Parthian: ''kylkyʾ'' (''Kilikiyā''); tr, Kilikya). is a geographical region in southern Anatolia in Turkey, extending inland from the northeastern co ...

. He arrived there in early 74 BC, but died very shortly afterwards, just as the

Third Mithridatic War The Third Mithridatic War (73–63 BC), the last and longest of the three Mithridatic Wars, was fought between Mithridates VI of Pontus and the Roman Republic. Both sides were joined by a great number of allies dragging the entire east of th ...

was beginning. His replacement as governor was the consul Lucius Licinius Lucullus.Broughton, pgs. 100-102

Sources

* Broughton, T. Robert S., ''The Magistrates of the Roman Republic'', Vol. II (1951)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Octavius, Lucius 110s BC births 74 BC deaths 2nd-century BC Romans 1st-century BC Roman consuls Senators of the Roman Republic Roman governors of Cilicia Octavii Rufi

Biography

See also

Sources

References