Attidius (senator)
Encyclopedia
Attidius possibly to be identified with Marcus Atilius Bulbus, was a senator
of the Roman Republic
. Sometime in the early 70s BC, he was convicted of a crime, probably maiestas, and exiled. Attidius found refuge in the court of Mithridates VI of Pontus
, and the two men were friends for many years. The sole evidence for Attidius's life and career is a passage by the Greek historian Appian
in his Mithridatic Wars.
Around 67 BC, during the Third Mithridatic War
, Attidius joined a conspiracy to assassinate Mithridates. The plot was discovered, and the Pontic king put him to death. In recognition of his rank, Mithridates forbade his torture. The other conspirators suffered protracted torture, but the freedmen
attached to Attidius were granted clemency by the king, because they were judged to have acted out of obligation to their Patronage in ancient Romepatron.
Attidius during the Republic, and since other names in Appian are problematic, his Ἀττίδιος has been read also as Attilius. It has been argued that "Attidius" could in fact be Marcus Atilius Bulbus, a corrupt juryman who, according to Cicero
, accepted bribes in the trial of Statius Albius Oppianicus in 74 BC. Atilius Bulbus was himself put on trial sometime between 74 and 70 BC and charged under the Lex Cornelia de maiestate, a capital crime, for attempting to incite
the legion
commanded by Gaius Cosconius in Illyria. Except during proscriptions and civil wars
, the Romans of the Republic preferred the punishment of exile to execution for men of rank.
It has been conjectured that the military efforts of Atilius in Illyria were on behalf of either Aemilius Lepidus, who along with Marcus Brutus (consul 77 BC)
attempted to resist the senatorial oligarchy
, or Quintus Sertorius
and his Hispania
n government in exile
. If Atilius is to be identified with Attidius, a Sertorian connection could explain how the exile ended up in the court of Mithridates, but this reconstruction of events is "highly speculative".
Atilius Bulbus came from "one of the most famous houses of the plebeian nobility
, now in decay and showing no more consuls." Ronald Syme
suggested that he might be a descendant of the M. Atilius Bulbus who was consul in 245 and 235 BC. Cato
, the brother-in-law of Marcus Brutus, married an Atilia, indicating ties between the Bruti
and Atilii that might point toward Bulbus's motives in Illyria.
Roman Senate
The Senate of the Roman Republic was a political institution in the ancient Roman Republic, however, it was not an elected body, but one whose members were appointed by the consuls, and later by the censors. After a magistrate served his term in office, it usually was followed with automatic...
of the Roman Republic
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
. Sometime in the early 70s BC, he was convicted of a crime, probably maiestas, and exiled. Attidius found refuge in the court of Mithridates VI of Pontus
Mithridates VI of Pontus
Mithridates VI or Mithradates VI Mithradates , from Old Persian Mithradatha, "gift of Mithra"; 134 BC – 63 BC, also known as Mithradates the Great and Eupator Dionysius, was king of Pontus and Armenia Minor in northern Anatolia from about 120 BC to 63 BC...
, and the two men were friends for many years. The sole evidence for Attidius's life and career is a passage by the Greek historian Appian
Appian
Appian of Alexandria was a Roman historian of Greek ethnicity who flourished during the reigns of Trajan, Hadrian, and Antoninus Pius.He was born ca. 95 in Alexandria. He tells us that, after having filled the chief offices in the province of Egypt, he went to Rome ca. 120, where he practised as...
in his Mithridatic Wars.
Around 67 BC, during the Third Mithridatic War
Third Mithridatic War
The Third Mithridatic War was the last and longest of three Mithridatic Wars fought between Mithridates VI of Pontus and his allies and the Roman Republic...
, Attidius joined a conspiracy to assassinate Mithridates. The plot was discovered, and the Pontic king put him to death. In recognition of his rank, Mithridates forbade his torture. The other conspirators suffered protracted torture, but the freedmen
Freedman
A freedman is a former slave who has been released from slavery, usually by legal means. Historically, slaves became freedmen either by manumission or emancipation ....
attached to Attidius were granted clemency by the king, because they were judged to have acted out of obligation to their Patronage in ancient Romepatron.
Attidius or Atilius?
The friend of Mithridates is the only senator known to have the nomenRoman naming conventions
By the Republican era and throughout the Imperial era, a name in ancient Rome for a male citizen consisted of three parts : praenomen , nomen and cognomen...
Attidius during the Republic, and since other names in Appian are problematic, his Ἀττίδιος has been read also as Attilius. It has been argued that "Attidius" could in fact be Marcus Atilius Bulbus, a corrupt juryman who, according to Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
, accepted bribes in the trial of Statius Albius Oppianicus in 74 BC. Atilius Bulbus was himself put on trial sometime between 74 and 70 BC and charged under the Lex Cornelia de maiestate, a capital crime, for attempting to incite
Incitement
In English criminal law, incitement was an anticipatory common law offence and was the act of persuading, encouraging, instigating, pressuring, or threatening so as to cause another to commit a crime....
the legion
Roman legion
A Roman legion normally indicates the basic ancient Roman army unit recruited specifically from Roman citizens. The organization of legions varied greatly over time but they were typically composed of perhaps 5,000 soldiers, divided into maniples and later into "cohorts"...
commanded by Gaius Cosconius in Illyria. Except during proscriptions and civil wars
Roman civil wars
There were several Roman civil wars, especially during the late Republic. The most famous of these are the war in the 40s BC between Julius Caesar and the optimate faction of the senatorial elite initially led by Pompey and the subsequent war between Caesar's successors, Octavian and Mark Antony in...
, the Romans of the Republic preferred the punishment of exile to execution for men of rank.
It has been conjectured that the military efforts of Atilius in Illyria were on behalf of either Aemilius Lepidus, who along with Marcus Brutus (consul 77 BC)
Marcus Junius Brutus the Elder
Marcus Junius Brutus, sometimes referred to by modern historians as Marcus Junius Brutus the Elder to distinguish him from his more famous son, was a tribune of the Roman Republic in 83 BC and the founder of the colony in Capua. He was the first husband to Servilia Caepionis, the elder half-sister...
attempted to resist the senatorial oligarchy
Oligarchy
Oligarchy is a form of power structure in which power effectively rests with an elite class distinguished by royalty, wealth, family ties, commercial, and/or military legitimacy...
, or Quintus Sertorius
Quintus Sertorius
Quintus Sertorius was a Roman statesman and general, born in Nursia, in Sabine territory. His brilliance as a military commander was shown most clearly in his battles against Rome for control of Hispania...
and his Hispania
Hispania
Another theory holds that the name derives from Ezpanna, the Basque word for "border" or "edge", thus meaning the farthest area or place. Isidore of Sevilla considered Hispania derived from Hispalis....
n government in exile
Government in exile
A government in exile is a political group that claims to be a country's legitimate government, but for various reasons is unable to exercise its legal power, and instead resides in a foreign country. Governments in exile usually operate under the assumption that they will one day return to their...
. If Atilius is to be identified with Attidius, a Sertorian connection could explain how the exile ended up in the court of Mithridates, but this reconstruction of events is "highly speculative".
Atilius Bulbus came from "one of the most famous houses of the plebeian nobility
Nobiles
During the Roman Republic, nobilis was a descriptive term of social rank, usually indicating that a member of the family had achieved the consulship. Those who belonged to the hereditary patrician families were noble, but plebeians whose ancestors were consuls were also considered nobiles...
, now in decay and showing no more consuls." Ronald Syme
Ronald Syme
Sir Ronald Syme, OM, FBA was a New Zealand-born historian and classicist. Long associated with Oxford University, he is widely regarded as the 20th century's greatest historian of ancient Rome...
suggested that he might be a descendant of the M. Atilius Bulbus who was consul in 245 and 235 BC. Cato
Cato the Younger
Marcus Porcius Cato Uticensis , commonly known as Cato the Younger to distinguish him from his great-grandfather , was a politician and statesman in the late Roman Republic, and a follower of the Stoic philosophy...
, the brother-in-law of Marcus Brutus, married an Atilia, indicating ties between the Bruti
Brutus
Brutus is the cognomen of the Roman gens Junia, a prominent family of the Roman Republic. The plural of Brutus is Bruti, and the vocative form is Brute, as immortalized in the quotation "Et tu, Brute?", from Shakespeare's play, Julius Caesar....
and Atilii that might point toward Bulbus's motives in Illyria.
Primary source
- AppianAppianAppian of Alexandria was a Roman historian of Greek ethnicity who flourished during the reigns of Trajan, Hadrian, and Antoninus Pius.He was born ca. 95 in Alexandria. He tells us that, after having filled the chief offices in the province of Egypt, he went to Rome ca. 120, where he practised as...
, Mithridatic Wars 90.
Secondary sources
- Alexander, Michael C. Trials in the Late Roman Republic, 149 BC to 50 BC. University of Toronto Press, 1990.
- Gruen, Erich S.Erich S. GruenErich Stephen Gruen is an American classicist and ancient historian. He was the Gladys Rehard Wood Professor of History and Classics at the University of California, Berkeley, where he taught full-time from 1966 until 2008...
The Last Generation of the Roman Republic. University of California Press, 1974, 1995. - Kelly, Gordon P. A History of Exile in the Roman Republic. Cambridge University Press, 2006, pp. 187–188 online.
- Syme, RonaldRonald SymeSir Ronald Syme, OM, FBA was a New Zealand-born historian and classicist. Long associated with Oxford University, he is widely regarded as the 20th century's greatest historian of ancient Rome...
. "Rome and the Balkans, 80 BC–AD 14." In The Provincial at Rome. University of Exeter Press, 1999.