Publius Canidius Crassus

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Publius Canidius Crassus († 30 BC ) was a politician and general in the final stages of the Roman Republic .

Life

Early political career

In the civil wars that broke out after the death of Gaius Julius Caesar , Canidius, son of a Publius Canidius, was a follower of Mark Antony . In 43 BC BC he probably served as a legate under Marcus Aemilius Lepidus when he united his armed forces with those of Antonius in Gaul. At the time of the Peruvian War of 41/40 BC Canidius seems to have led a command in Italy or Gaul. After Antonius temporarily settled the disputes with his colleague in the triumvirate, Octavian , Canidius was, according to the fasting tables, at the end of 40 BC. Briefly suffect consul with Lucius Cornelius Balbus Maior (a previous position in the cursus honorum is not occupied). In the 30s BC He served under Antony in the east, probably as a promagistrate. 36 BC He led a successful campaign against Iberians and Albanians in what is now the Caucasus, before taking part in Antony's Parthian campaign.

Apparently Canidius received from Antony's lover Cleopatra in 33 BC A number of tax and customs relief. The Papyrus with instructions caused a sensation in his publication in 2000, because it is thought possible that it contains a handwritten note Cleopatra. However, since the name of the beneficiary can only be recognized in fragments due to the poor condition of the papyrus, another high-ranking Roman from Antonius' circle of friends could have received the aforementioned privileges.

Civil war between Antony and Octavian

After Antony's defeat in the Parthian War, Canidius had kept command of the troops stationed in Armenia on the eastern border of the empire, which he, when the inevitable final battle between Octavian and Antony loomed, at the end of 33 or beginning of 32 BC. BC to his superior in Ephesus . A number of senators who had just fled to Antony's Rome urged the triumvirs to send Cleopatra away, as she was the best target for Octavian's propaganda; and especially Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus seemed to get through with Antonius with this argument. Allegedly bribed by Cleopatra, Canidius now explained that the queen had spent a lot of money on the armor and was smarter than many other allies, and that her whereabouts were important for the motivation of her Egyptian followers. He achieved that Cleopatra was allowed to stay (approx. March 32 BC).

When the civil war broke out, Canidius commanded the land forces of Antony until the battle of Actium . In the course of the war in Greece, Antony's position deteriorated more and more, and in the end he was left with only retreat as a last resort, as Octavian's troops were completely cut off from any supplies of provisions and armaments and increasingly decimated. Now Canidius also changed his mind and was also in favor of sending Cleopatra back to Alexandria and not trying the plan of a breakthrough at sea favored by the Egyptian queen, but a decisive battle on land; for Antonius still had a large army and had great experience in wars on land. Canidius, however, could not prevail with his opinion. Instead it was decided that he should try to retreat alone with the land army, while Antony and Cleopatra wanted to break up Octavian's blockade with the fleet, to which the best soldiers had been brought, and sail to Egypt. On the day of the naval battle at Actium (September 2nd, 31 BC) Canidius and his legions could only watch from the coast. After Antonius had made his breakthrough with great losses, Canidius ordered him to bring the army to Asia Minor , but he was caught on the way to Macedonia , whereupon he secretly left his army and fled to Antonius in Egypt, to whom he reported the loss of the land forces . The historian Michael Grant doubts that Canidius - as ancient sources claim - treacherously fled and abandoned his troops , since Octavian offered Antony's soldiers favorable conditions, especially land in Italy, if they surrendered. Rather, Grant sees the ancient reports reflect the anti-Anthony view of Octavian, who, because of his victory, dominates the tradition over the civil war in general.

After Antony's suicide, Octavian had Canidius executed. According to the Roman historian Velleius Paterculus , Canidius died more fearfully than he was due to his deeds.

literature

Web links

Remarks

  1. ↑ Seneca the Elder , suasoriae 7.3.
  2. ↑ Marcus Tullius Cicero , Ad familiares 10,21,4.
  3. ^ Appian , Civil Wars 5.50.
  4. ↑ Cassius Dio 49.24.1; Plutarch , Antonius 34.3; 42.3.
  5. ↑ Chr. Schäfer, Cleopatra , pp. 203 ff.
  6. ↑ Plutarch, Antonius 56,1.
  7. ↑ Plutarch, Antonius 56: 3-6; on this M. Clauss, Kleopatra , p. 78 f .; Chr. Schäfer, Cleopatra , pp. 203–206.
  8. ↑ Plutarch, Antonius 63,5; 65.1; Velleius Paterculus 2.85.2.
  9. ↑ Plutarch, Antonius 63.6 f .; Cassius Dio 50,15,1-3, who does not mention the participation of Canidius in the council of war reported by Plutarch; on this Chr. Schäfer, Cleopatra , p. 223 (who agrees Cleopatra is right); M. Grant, Kleopatra (German edition 1998 at Bastei-Lübbe), p. 287 f. (with a similar judgment).
  10. ↑ Plutarch, Antonius 65,3; Cassius Dio 50,32,1; Velleius 2.85.2.
  11. ↑ Velleius 2.85.5 f .; Plutarch, Antonius 67.2; 68.3-5; 71.1; Cassius Dio 51,1,4 f.
  12. ↑ M. Grant, Cleopatra , p. 293; similar to Chr.Schäfer, Cleopatra , p. 232.
  13. ↑ Velleius 2.87.3; Orosius 6.19.20.
personal data
SURNAME Canidius Crassus, Publius
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Crassus, Publius Canidius
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Roman politician and general in the final stages of the republic
DATE OF BIRTH 2nd century BC BC or 1st century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 30 BC Chr.