Gaius Norbanus surnamed Bulbus

Bulbus

Bulbus is a genus of predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Naticidae, the moon snails.-Species:Species within the genus Bulbus include:* Bulbus benthicolus Dell, 1990* Bulbus carcellesi Dell, 1990...

 (or Balbus) was a Roman politician.

In 103 BC, when tribune of the people, he accused Quintus Servilius Caepio

Quintus Servilius Caepio

Quintus Servilius Caepio the Elder was a Roman statesman and general, consul in 106 BC, and proconsul of Cisalpine Gaul in 105 BC. He was the father of Quintus Servilius Caepio the Younger and the grandfather of Servilia Caepionis....

 the Elder of having brought about the defeat of his army by the Cimbri

Cimbri

The Cimbri were a tribe from Northern Europe, who, together with the Teutones and the Ambrones threatened the Roman Republic in the late 2nd century BC. The Cimbri were probably Germanic, though some believe them to be of Celtic origin...

 through rashness, and also of having plundered the temple of Tolosa

Toulouse

Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...

. Caepio was condemned and went into exile.

About ten years later, Norbanus himself was accused of treason on account of the disturbances that had taken place at the trial of Caepio, but the eloquence 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:...

, grandfather of the 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...

, procured his acquittal.

In 89 BC Norbanus as praetor

Praetor

Praetor was a title granted by the government of Ancient Rome to men acting in one of two official capacities: the commander of an army, usually in the field, or the named commander before mustering the army; and an elected magistratus assigned varied duties...

 successfully defended Sicily

Sicily

Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...

 against the Italian socii during the Social War. During the civil war between Gaius Marius

Gaius Marius

Gaius Marius was a Roman general and statesman. He was elected consul an unprecedented seven times during his career. He was also noted for his dramatic reforms of Roman armies, authorizing recruitment of landless citizens, eliminating the manipular military formations, and reorganizing the...

 and 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...

 he sided with the former. He was consul

Consul

Consul was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire. The title was also used in other city states and also revived in modern states, notably in the First French Republic...

 in 83 BC and met Sulla returning to Italy. He was defeated by Sulla at the Battle of Mount Tifata

Battle of Mount Tifata

The Battle of Mount Tifata was fought in 83 BC as part of the First Roman Civil War. The Aristrocratic forces were led by Lucius Cornelius Sulla, while the Populars were led by Gaius Norbanus. Sulla was victorious....

 near Capua, and again by Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius

Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius

Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius was a pro-Sullan politician and general. He was named Pius because of his 99 BC petition to return his father from exile and was true to his cognomen for the constance and inflexibility with which he always fought for his father's rehabilitation and return to...

 at Faventia in Cisalpine Gaul

Cisalpine Gaul

Cisalpine Gaul, in Latin: Gallia Cisalpina or Citerior, also called Gallia Togata, was a Roman province until 41 BC when it was merged into Roman Italy.It bore the name Gallia, because the great body of its inhabitants, after the expulsion of the Etruscans, consisted of Gauls or Celts...

 (82 BC). He fled to Rhodes

Rhodes

Rhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007, and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within...

, where he committed suicide

Suicide

Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...

, while the Rhodians were debating whether to hand him over to Sulla.