Gaius Antonius Hybrida
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Gaius Antonius
Hybrida (flourished 1st century BC) was a politician of the Roman Republic
. He was the second son of Marcus Antonius Orator
and brother of Marcus Antonius Creticus
; his mother is unknown. He was the uncle of the famed triumvir Mark Antony
.
His military career started as a legate and cavalry commander of Lucius Cornelius Sulla
during the Mithridatic Wars
. After Sulla's return to Rome, Hybrida remained in Greece
with a force of cavalry. He was supposed to maintain peace and order but ended in plundering the countryside and sacking for his own profit several temples and holy places. It was the rumors of his plundering and atrocities committed on the local population, which included maiming and torture, that earned him the nickname Hybrida ("half-beast") (Pliny, Nat. Hist. viii. 213).
In 76 BC he was prosecuted for his malpractices by the young Julius Caesar
, but escaped punishment because he successfully appealed to the people's tribunes. Years later, in 70 BC, he was removed from the Senate and stripped of senatorial rank by the censor
s, still on charges due to the atrocities committed in Greece. In spite of his bad reputation, however, he was elected tribune in 71 BC, which meant that he again joined the Senate; then praetor in 66 BC, and finally consul with Marcus Tullius Cicero
in 63 BC.
He secretly supported Lucius Sergius Catiline, but Cicero won him to his side by promising him the governorship of the rich province of Macedonia.
On the outbreak of the Catilinarian conspiracy, Hybrida was obliged as consul to lead an army into Etruria
, but handed over the command on the day of battle to Marcus Petreius
, on the ground of ill health.
He then went to Macedonia
, where he made himself so detested by his oppressive rule and extortions over the people, that he was forced to leave the province. In 59 BC, Hybrida was accused in Rome, by Marcus Caelius Rufus
, both of having taken part in the Catilinarian conspiracy and of extortion in his province. It was said that Cicero had agreed with Gaius to share his plunder. Cicero's defence of Hybrida two years before in view of a proposal for his recall, and also on the occasion of his trial, increased the suspicion. Despite Cicero's defence, Hybrida was condemned and went into exile at Kefalonia
.
He seems to have been recalled by Caesar, since he was present at a meeting of the Roman Senate
in 44 BC and was censor in 42 BC.
Hybrida married an unnamed Roman woman. By his wife, he had two daughters:
From his daughter’s marriages, he had at least two grandchildren who were a younger Lucius Caninius Gallus and Antonia.
Antonius
Antonius is the nomen of the gens Antonia, one of the most important plebeian families at Rome. It is also the source of the English personal name Anthony, as well as a number of similar names in various European languages....
Hybrida (flourished 1st century BC) was a politician 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...
. He was the second son of Marcus Antonius Orator
Marcus Antonius Orator
Marcus Antonius Orator was a Roman politician of the Antonius family and one of the most distinguished Roman orators of his time. He was also the grandfather of the famous general and triumvir, Mark Antony.-Career:...
and brother of Marcus Antonius Creticus
Marcus Antonius Creticus
Marcus Antonius Creticus was a Roman politician, member of the Antonius family. Creticus was son of Marcus Antonius Orator and by his marriage to Julia Antonia he had three sons: Triumvir Marcus Antonius, Gaius Antonius and Lucius Antonius.He was elected praetor in 74 BC and received an...
; his mother is unknown. He was the uncle of the famed triumvir Mark Antony
Mark Antony
Marcus Antonius , known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general. As a military commander and administrator, he was an important supporter and loyal friend of his mother's cousin Julius Caesar...
.
His military career started as a legate and cavalry commander of Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix , known commonly as Sulla, was a Roman general and statesman. He had the rare distinction of holding the office of consul twice, as well as that of dictator...
during the Mithridatic Wars
Mithridatic Wars
There were three Mithridatic Wars between Rome and the Kingdom of Pontus in the 1st century BC. They are named for Mithridates VI who was King of Pontus at the time....
. After Sulla's return to Rome, Hybrida remained in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
with a force of cavalry. He was supposed to maintain peace and order but ended in plundering the countryside and sacking for his own profit several temples and holy places. It was the rumors of his plundering and atrocities committed on the local population, which included maiming and torture, that earned him the nickname Hybrida ("half-beast") (Pliny, Nat. Hist. viii. 213).
In 76 BC he was prosecuted for his malpractices by the young Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
, but escaped punishment because he successfully appealed to the people's tribunes. Years later, in 70 BC, he was removed from the Senate and stripped of senatorial rank by the censor
Censor
Censor may refer to:*Censorship, the control of speech and other forms of human expression*Roman censor, a magistrate for maintaining the census, supervising public morality, etc*Cato Censor , Roman statesman...
s, still on charges due to the atrocities committed in Greece. In spite of his bad reputation, however, he was elected tribune in 71 BC, which meant that he again joined the Senate; then praetor in 66 BC, and finally consul with Marcus Tullius 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...
in 63 BC.
For, when Marcus Cicero had become consul with Gaius Antonius, and Mithridates no longer caused any injury to the Romans, but had destroyed himself...
He secretly supported Lucius Sergius Catiline, but Cicero won him to his side by promising him the governorship of the rich province of Macedonia.
This alarm Cicero first sought to allay by getting the province of Macedonia voted to his colleague, while he himself declined the proffered province of Gaul; and by this favour he induced Antonius, like a hired actor, to play the second rôle to him in defence of their country.
On the outbreak of the Catilinarian conspiracy, Hybrida was obliged as consul to lead an army into Etruria
Etruria
Etruria—usually referred to in Greek and Latin source texts as Tyrrhenia—was a region of Central Italy, an area that covered part of what now are Tuscany, Latium, Emilia-Romagna, and Umbria. A particularly noteworthy work dealing with Etruscan locations is D. H...
, but handed over the command on the day of battle to Marcus Petreius
Marcus Petreius
Marcus Petreius was a Roman politician and general. He cornered and killed the notorious rebel Catiline at Pistoria.-Career:...
, on the ground of ill health.
He then went to Macedonia
Macedonia (Roman province)
The Roman province of Macedonia was officially established in 146 BC, after the Roman general Quintus Caecilius Metellus defeated Andriscus of Macedon, the last Ancient King of Macedon in 148 BC, and after the four client republics established by Rome in the region were dissolved...
, where he made himself so detested by his oppressive rule and extortions over the people, that he was forced to leave the province. In 59 BC, Hybrida was accused in Rome, by Marcus Caelius Rufus
Marcus Caelius Rufus
Marcus Caelius Rufus was an orator and politician in the late Roman Republic. He was born into a wealthy equestrian family from Interamnia Praetuttiorum , on the central east coast of Italy...
, both of having taken part in the Catilinarian conspiracy and of extortion in his province. It was said that Cicero had agreed with Gaius to share his plunder. Cicero's defence of Hybrida two years before in view of a proposal for his recall, and also on the occasion of his trial, increased the suspicion. Despite Cicero's defence, Hybrida was condemned and went into exile at Kefalonia
Kefalonia
The island of Cephalonia, also known as Kefalonia, Cephallenia, Cephallonia, Kefallinia, or Kefallonia , is the largest of the Ionian Islands in western Greece, with an area of . It is also a separate regional unit of the Ionian Islands region, and the only municipality of the regional unit...
.
The latter, while governor of Macedonia, had inflicted many injuries upon the subject territory as well as upon that which was in alliance with Rome, and had suffered many disasters in return. For after ravaging the possessions of the Dardanians and their neighbours, he did not dare to await their attack, but pretending to retire with his cavalry for some other purpose, took to flight; in this way the enemy surrounded his infantry and forcibly drove them out of the country, even taking away their plunder from them. When he tried the same tactics on the allies in MoesiaMoesiaMoesia was an ancient region and later Roman province situated in the Balkans, along the south bank of the Danube River. It included territories of modern-day Southern Serbia , Northern Republic of Macedonia, Northern Bulgaria, Romanian Dobrudja, Southern Moldova, and Budjak .-History:In ancient...
, he was defeated near the city of the Istrians by the Bastarnian Scythians who came to their aid; and thereupon he ran away. It was not for this conduct, however, that he was accused, but he was indicted for complicity in Catiline's conspiracy; yet he was convicted on the former charge, so that it was his fate to be found not guilty of the crime for which he was being tried, but to be punished for something of which he was not accused. That was the way he came off. But Cicero, who defended him at this time because Antonius had been his colleague, made a most bitter attack upon Caesar, whom he held responsible for the suit against him, and even went so far as to heap abuse upon him.
He seems to have been recalled by Caesar, since he was present at a meeting of the Roman Senate
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...
in 44 BC and was censor in 42 BC.
Hybrida married an unnamed Roman woman. By his wife, he had two daughters:
- Antonia Hybrida Major (Major Latin for the elder) married Roman tribune Lucius Caninius GallusLucius Caninius GallusLucius Caninius Gallus was a Roman politician of the Roman Republic. Gallus was of plebs status and came from a family of consular rank....
- Antonia Hybrida Minor (Minor Latin for the younger) married her first paternal cousin Mark AntonyMark AntonyMarcus Antonius , known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general. As a military commander and administrator, he was an important supporter and loyal friend of his mother's cousin Julius Caesar...
as his second wife
From his daughter’s marriages, he had at least two grandchildren who were a younger Lucius Caninius Gallus and Antonia.