Gaius Servilius Geminus (Consul 203 BC)

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Gaius Servilius Geminus († 180 BC ) came from the Roman family of the Servilians . He was 203 BC. Chr. Consul , 202 v. Chr. Dictator and v of 183. Until his death Pontifex Maximus .

Name and parentage

Gaius Servilius Geminus is appointed by the Fasti Capitolini for the years 203 and 202 BC. Mentioned, but without giving his epithet Geminus . This is cited only in a few places in the history of Titus Livius . According to the filiation information of the Fasti Capitolini , he was the son of a father of the same name and grandson of Publius Servilius . Livy describes him as the son of Gaius Servilius Geminus , who lived in 218 BC. At the outbreak of the Second Punic War he was one of the triumvirs for the establishment of the colonies Placentia and Cremona and the Boier became a prisoner of war , from which he only returned in 203 BC. Was freed by his son. The grandfather of Gaius Servilius Geminus treated here is believed to be the consul of 252 and 248 BC. BC, Publius Servilius Geminus .

Early career

In the tradition available to Livius there are likely to be considerable falsifications with regard to the early political career of Gaius Servilius Geminus, which, despite many scientific investigations, has not yet been satisfactorily clarified in many details. Geminus probably went through the career of a plebeian politician from the beginning, since most likely his father had already converted from the patricians to the plebeians . According to Livy, it was at a time that cannot be precisely dated, but before 209 BC. BC, tribune of the people . For the year 212 BC BC Livy mentions a tribune of the people Gaius Servilius Casca , whose cognomen Casca is sometimes regarded as a possible forgery, so that he could be identical with Geminus. Furthermore, Geminus' equation with another for 212 B.C. BC - without surname - considered legate Gaius Servilius , who bought grain in Etruria on behalf of the praetor Publius Cornelius Sulla and brought these food supplies with his fleet to the Roman garrison of the citadel of Taranto , which was besieged by Hannibal , so that they were encouraged to hold out. But both identifications are uncertain.

The first reliable mention of Geminus is for the year 210 BC. BC when he took the priesthood of a pontiff in place of the late Titus Otacilius Crassus . Together with Quintus Caecilius Metellus , Geminus had in 209 BC The plebeian as well as 208 BC Chr. Held the curular aedility and organized the ludi Romani . While he was still exercising the last-mentioned office, he became 208 BC. Chr. Appointed by the dictator Titus Manlius Torquatus to his Magister equitum . As praetor he was then given 206 BC. Transferred the administration of the province of Sicily , which he should maintain with two legions ( legiones Cannenses ) formed from survivors of the catastrophe of Cannae and a navy.

consulate

Gaius Servilius Geminus exercised the highest state office in 203 BC. He received Gnaeus Servilius Caepio, who belonged to a patrician branch of his own family, as co-consul and Etruria as a province. After both consuls in Rome had made recruiting and held atonement rituals, Geminus went off to his province. Even if nothing is known of other military achievements in his consulate, he invaded at least northern Italy, where he succeeded in freeing his father and the consular Gaius Lutatius Catulus , both of whom had been since 218 BC. Were held captive by the enemies of the Romans, the Boiern and Puniern. He returned home to Rome with the freed men. According to a note from Livy, it is said to have existed as early as 209 BC. He was sufficiently certain that his father was not dead, as previously assumed, and Geminus was accused of having held unlawful plebeian offices during his father's lifetime, as he had held a curular office. However, as consul, Geminus had passed an indemnity law during his stay in Rome , which protected him from prosecution for his illegal activities, because at the time when he had performed the functions in question, he was not aware that his father was still alive. Otherwise, there is no known law that would have prohibited such a plebeian office career. The associated legal issues are still unclear, as the annalistic presentation is likely to be heavily falsified overall.

From Rome, Geminus went back to Etruria, where, according to a senate resolution, he is said to have led investigations against conspiratorial activities. The dictator Publius Sulpicius Galba Maximus appointed by him held elections for the next year according to the Fasti Capitolini and the tradition believed to be more credible with Livius, while the tradition indicated by Livius as a different alternative that Geminus himself was the election officer is rejected . In these comitia, Geminus' younger brother Marcus Servilius Pulex Geminus advanced to become one of the new consuls.

Later career

In the first half of 202 BC Gaius Servilius Geminus remained in Etruria as proconsul with the prorogated empire , while his brother, who had been promoted to consulate, stayed in Rome. From the latter, Geminus was then appointed dictator to lead the elections, thereupon appointed Publius Aelius Paetus as his Magister equitum and was now in a reversed role for a long time into the head of the administration of the capital, whereas his brother, the Consul who was in charge in Etruria. For a long time he would remain the last dictator until Sulla usurped this office. End of 201 BC BC Geminus and his brother belonged to a ten-man commission, which had to distribute the arable land located in Samnium and Apulia and which had passed into Roman state ownership among the veterans of Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus .

194 BC As Duumvir , Geminus made the dedication of a shrine to Iuppiter Vediovis on the Tiber island. As the successor to the late Publius Licinius Crassus Dives , he was named in 183 BC. Elected to the high sacred function of the Pontifex Maximus . In this capacity he got 180 BC. In conflict with Lucius Cornelius Dolabella when he sought to take over the office of the sacrificial king ( Rex sacrorum ) ; for Dolabella refused to resign his post of Duumvir navalis before the consecration , as Geminus had requested. The Pontifex Maximus condemned Dolabella to pay a fine and his election as the sacrificial king did not materialize in the end. Geminus, who had held another important religious office of Decemvir sacris faciundis , died not much later towards the end of 180 BC. Chr.

literature

Remarks

  1. ↑ Livy 29:38, 3; 30, 39, 4; 31, 4, 3; 39, 46, 1; 40, 42, 11.
  2. ↑ Livy 27, 21, 10 and 30, 19, 9.
  3. ↑ Livy 27, 21, 10 and 30, 19, 9.
  4. ↑ Livy 25: 3, 15.
  5. ^ Friedrich Münzer : Servilius 60). In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume II A, 2, Stuttgart 1923, column 1792.
  6. ↑ Livius 25, 15, 4ff.
  7. ^ Tassilo Schmitt : Servilius [1 19]. In: The New Pauly (DNP). Volume 11, Metzler, Stuttgart 2001, ISBN 3-476-01481-9 , column 466.
  8. ^ Livy 27: 6, 15.
  9. ↑ Livy 27:21 , 9; 27, 33, 7; 27, 36, 8.
  10. ↑ Livy 27:33 , 7.
  11. ^ Livy 28:10 ; 28, 45, 8.
  12. ↑ Fasti Capitolini ; Livy 29:33, 3; 30, 1, 1; 30, 1, 8; Zonaras 9, 12; among others
  13. ↑ Livius 30, 2, 6ff .; 30, 2, 13 - 30, 3, 1.
  14. Jump up ↑ Livy 27, 21, 10 and 30, 19, 6-12.
  15. ^ Tassilo Schmitt: Servilius [1 19]. In: The New Pauly (DNP). Volume 11, Metzler, Stuttgart 2001, ISBN 3-476-01481-9 , column 466.
  16. ^ Livy 30, 26, 12.
  17. ^ Friedrich Münzer: Servilius 60). In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume II A, 2, Stuttgart 1923, column 1793.
  18. ↑ Fasti Capitolini ; Livy 30, 27, 5f .; 30, 38, 6; 30, 39, 4f .; 30, 40, 4.
  19. ↑ Livy 31, 4, 3.
  20. ↑ Livy 34, 53, 7.
  21. ↑ Livy 39, 46, 1 and 40, 37, 2.
  22. ^ Livy 40, 42, 8-11.
personal data
SURNAME Servilius Geminus, Gaius
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Geminus, Gaius Servilius
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Roman consul 203 BC BC, dictator 202 BC Chr.
DATE OF BIRTH 3rd century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 180 BC Chr.