Caecina Mavortius Basilius Decius (floruit 486-510) was a Roman politician under Odoacer

Odoacer

Flavius Odoacer , also known as Flavius Odovacer, was the first King of Italy. His reign is commonly seen as marking the end of the Western Roman Empire. Though the real power in Italy was in his hands, he represented himself as the client of Julius Nepos and, after Nepos' death in 480, of the...

's rule. He was consul

Roman consul

A consul served in the highest elected political office of the Roman Republic.Each year, two consuls were elected together, to serve for a one-year term. Each consul was given veto power over his colleague and the officials would alternate each month...

 and Praefectus urbi

Praefectus urbi

The praefectus urbanus or praefectus urbi, in English the urban prefect, was prefect of the city of Rome, and later also of Constantinople. The office originated under the Roman kings, continued during the Republic and Empire, and held high importance in late Antiquity...

of Rome in 486 and Praetorian prefect of Italy from 486 to 493.

Life

Decius was the son of Caecina Decius Basilius

Caecina Decius Basilius

Flavius Caecina Decius Basilius was a politician of the Western Roman Empire, Consul and twice Praetorian prefect of Italy.- Biography :Basilius belonged to the Italian nobility, and was member of the influential gens Caecina....

, consul in 463, and brother of Decius Marius Venantius Basilius

Decius Marius Venantius Basilius

Decius Marius Venantius Basilius was a Roman official under Odoacer's rule.- Biography :He was the son of Caecina Decius Basilius and the brother of Caecina Mavortius Basilius Decius and of Caecina Decius Maximus Basilius, all of them Consuls...

 (consul in 484), and Basilius iunior (consul in 480, identified with Caecina Decius Maximus Basilius

Caecina Decius Maximus Basilius

Caecina Decius Maximus Basilius , was a Roman politician. He was the first consul appointed under Odoacer's rule , and afterwards was Praetorian prefect of Italy. He is best known for presiding over the papal election of Pope Felix III....

); thus he was member of the gens Caecina

Caecina (gens)

Caecina was the name of an Etruscan family of Volaterrae, one of the ancient cities of Etruria. Persons of this gens are first mentioned in the 1st century BC. Under the Empire the name is of frequent occurrence...

. He had a son, Vettius Agorius Basilius Mavortius

Vettius Agorius Basilius Mavortius

Vettius Agorius Basilius Mavortius was a Roman senator and consul.- Biography :Mavortius was probably the son of Caecina Mavortius Basilius Decius, consul in 486, and related to Vettius Agorius Praetextatus, an influential aristocrat of the late 4th century...

, who was consul in 527.

Decius returned to favor under the rule of Theodoric the Great

Theodoric the Great

Theodoric the Great was king of the Ostrogoths , ruler of Italy , regent of the Visigoths , and a viceroy of the Eastern Roman Empire...

, by reclaiming a portion of the Pontine Marshes

Pontine Marshes

thumb|250px|Lake Fogliano, a coastal lagoon in the Pontine Plain.The Pontine Marshes, termed in Latin Pomptinus Ager by Titus Livius, Pomptina Palus and Pomptinae Paludes by Pliny the Elder, today the Agro Pontino in Italian, is an approximately quadrangular area of former marshland in the Lazio...

 at his own expense. He was praised for this in a letter signed by Theodoric, and Decius set up an inscription at Terracina

Terracina

Terracina is a town and comune of the province of Latina - , Italy, 76 km SE of Rome by rail .-Ancient times:...

 stating this was done by the command of king Theodoric. Around 510, Decius was one of five senators

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...

 appointed to investigate charges that the vir inlustris Basilius and Praetextatus had practiced black magic.