Publius Acilius Attianus

Publius Acilius Attianus was a Roman knight and under Trajan and Hadrian next to his counterpart Servius Sulpicius Similis Praetorian prefect .

Attianus came from the Acilians family . In Hadrian's youth he was along with Trajan his guardian and Hadrian particularly devoted. When Trajan's death in 117 he stayed with Empress Plotina in the immediate vicinity of the dying man and supported Hadrian's takeover by testifying to the alleged adoption of Hadrian by Trajan on his deathbed. A short time later, as Praetorian Prefect, he had four important military commanders of Trajan executed (Avidius Nigrinus, Aulus Cornelius Palma Frontonianus , Lucius Publilius Celsus and Lusius Quietus ) who were suspected of disapproving of Hadrian's takeover and of wanting to take violent action against it. This action led to such great tensions with the Senate that Hadrian demonstratively dismissed Attianus as a scapegoat after his arrival in Rome in order to appease the senators. Moreover, the emperor claimed to have known nothing of the executions; but this was not believed, and his relationship with the Senate remained difficult even after he had promised not to have any more senators executed in the future. His relationship with Attianus remained unaffected.

literature

• PIR² A 45

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Karl Christ: History of the Roman Empire. From Augustus to Constantine. 5th edition. Munich 2005, p. 319; Cassius Dio, 69,2,5 f. ; Historia Augusta , Hadrianus 7.1-4.