Picarius Decumus

Picarius (also Pacarius ) Decumus († 69 in Corsica ) was a Roman politician and military man during the four-emperor year 69.

Picarius Decumus was the procurator of the province of Corsica . Possibly he was the first administrator of the island with this rank. He took over his post between 67 and 69. After the Roman Empire was thrown into chaos after the death of Nero , several emperors in the reign of the empire replaced within a short time. Galba first ruled from 68 , followed by Otho . This fought with Vitellius for rule.

Corsica, which up to now had not actually been drawn into the dispute, but rather sympathized with Otho, should now, at the request of Picarius Decumus, take sides in the conflict on the side of Vitellius. In order to enforce this wish, he called the local and Roman dignitaries of the island together. He had the Roman knight Quintius Certus and the Trierarch of the Liburnian ships stationed in Aléria , Claudius Pyrrichus, executed because they contradicted his plan. Then the resistance of the others was broken.

The high-ranking personalities of the island took an oath on Vitellius and then one began to raise new troops on the island. However, the native population of the island was not used to the subsequent Roman education and slowly resentment spread among the population. Eventually Picarius Decumus was murdered in the bathroom of his house. Afterwards, his friends were also killed and the heads of those killed were sent to Otho to show him the devotion to Corsica.

But neither Otho nor Vitellius prevailed in the civil war. Vespasian became the new emperor and founder of the Flavian dynasty . The episode in Corsica did not affect the course of the civil war.

literature

• PIR²P 404

swell

• Tacitus , Histories , 2.16.