Gaius Julius Alpinus Classicianus
Encyclopedia
Gaius Julius Alpinus Classicianus was procurator
of Roman Britain
from 61 to his death in 65.
He was appointed after his predecessor, Catus Decianus
, had fled to Gaul
in the aftermath of the rebellion of Boudica
. He expressed concern to the Emperor
Nero
that the punitive policies of the governor, Suetonius Paulinus, would lead to continued hostilities. Nero despatched his freedman
, Polyclitus
, to lead an inquiry. An excuse, that Suetonius had lost some ships, was found to relieve him of command and replace him with Publius Petronius Turpilianus
.
Classicianus died and was buried in London
in 65. London was destroyed by Boudica only four years before, so Classicianus must have overseen considerable reconstruction. His tombstone was erected by his wife Julia Pacata
, daughter of Julius Indus
, a nobleman of the Gaulish Treveri
who became commander of the Ala Gallorum Indiana
cavalry unit. The stone was re-used in the medieval wall of London, and, reconstructed, is now in the British Museum
.
He may have been related to the Julius Alpinus who was executed after leading the Helvetii
of Aventicum
against Aulus Caecina Alienus
, or the Julius Classicus who led a unit of Treviran auxiliary
cavalry in Otho
's army, both in 69.
Procurator (Roman)
A procurator was the title of various officials of the Roman Empire, posts mostly filled by equites . A procurator Augusti was the governor of the smaller imperial provinces...
of Roman Britain
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
from 61 to his death in 65.
He was appointed after his predecessor, Catus Decianus
Catus Decianus
Catus Decianus was the procurator of Roman Britain in AD 60 or 61. Tacitus blames his "rapacity" in part for provoking the rebellion of Boudica. Cassius Dio says he confiscated sums of money which had been given by the emperor Claudius to leading Britons, declaring them to be loans to be repaid...
, had fled to Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
in the aftermath of the rebellion of Boudica
Boudica
Boudica , also known as Boadicea and known in Welsh as "Buddug" was queen of the British Iceni tribe who led an uprising against the occupying forces of the Roman Empire....
. He expressed concern to the Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
Nero
Nero
Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....
that the punitive policies of the governor, Suetonius Paulinus, would lead to continued hostilities. Nero despatched his freedman
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 ....
, Polyclitus
Polyclitus (freedman)
Polyclitus was an influential freedman in the court of the Roman emperor Nero. He was sent to Britain in 60 or 61 AD to head an enquiry in the aftermath of the rebellion of Boudica. As a result the governor, Gaius Suetonius Paulinus, was relieved of his command and replaced by Publius Petronius...
, to lead an inquiry. An excuse, that Suetonius had lost some ships, was found to relieve him of command and replace him with Publius Petronius Turpilianus
Publius Petronius Turpilianus
Publius Petronius Turpilianus was a Roman politician and general.He was consul in AD 61, but in the second half of that year he laid down that office and was appointed governor of Britain, replacing Gaius Suetonius Paulinus who had been removed from office in the wake of the rebellion of Boudica...
.
Classicianus died and was buried in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 65. London was destroyed by Boudica only four years before, so Classicianus must have overseen considerable reconstruction. His tombstone was erected by his wife Julia Pacata
Julia Pacata
Julia Pacata was the daughter of Julius Indus, a 1st century nobleman of the Gaulish Treveri who helped put down a Gaulish rebellion in 21 and led an auxiliary cavalry unit in the Roman army, the Ala Gallorum Indiana. She married Gaius Julius Alpinus Classicianus, the procurator of Roman Britain...
, daughter of Julius Indus
Julius Indus
Julius Indus was a nobleman of the Gaulish Treveri tribe. In 21 AD he helped the Romans put down a rebellion of the Treveri and Aedui. He went on to lead the Ala Gallorum Indiana cavalry unit which may have been involved in the Roman invasion of Britain, and was certainly posted at Corinum in the...
, a nobleman of the Gaulish Treveri
Treveri
The Treveri or Treviri were a tribe of Gauls who inhabited the lower valley of the Moselle from around 150 BCE, at the latest, until their eventual absorption into the Franks...
who became commander of the Ala Gallorum Indiana
Ala Gallorum Indiana
The Ala Gallorum Indiana was a Gaulish auxiliary cavalry unit in the Roman army, named after its first commander, Julius Indus, a nobleman of the Treveri who helped put down a Gaulish rebellion in 21....
cavalry unit. The stone was re-used in the medieval wall of London, and, reconstructed, is now in the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
.
He may have been related to the Julius Alpinus who was executed after leading the Helvetii
Helvetii
The Helvetii were a Celtic tribe or tribal confederation occupying most of the Swiss plateau at the time of their contact with the Roman Republic in the 1st century BC...
of Aventicum
Aventicum
Aventicum was the largest town and capital of Roman Switzerland . Its remains are beside the modern town of Avenches....
against Aulus Caecina Alienus
Aulus Caecina Alienus
Aulus Caecina Alienus, Roman general, was born in Vicetia .He was quaestor of Hispania Baetica in AD 68. On the death of Nero, he attached himself to Galba, who appointed him to the command of Legio IV Macedonica at Mogontiacum in Germania Superior...
, or the Julius Classicus who led a unit of Treviran auxiliary
Auxiliaries
An auxiliary force is a group affiliated with, but not part of, a military or police organization. In some cases, auxiliaries are armed forces operating in the same manner as regular soldiers...
cavalry in Otho
Otho
Otho , was Roman Emperor for three months, from 15 January to 16 April 69. He was the second emperor of the Year of the four emperors.- Birth and lineage :...
's army, both in 69.