Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus (consul AD 32)
Encyclopedia
Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus (11 December, 17 BC - January 40) was a close relative of the five Roman Emperor
s of the Julio-Claudian dynasty
. Domitius was the only son of Antonia Major
(niece of the emperor
Augustus
and daughter of Augustus' sister Octavia Minor
who was married to triumvir Mark Antony
) and Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus (consul 16 BC). His only siblings were Domitia (aunt of Nero)
and Domitia Lepida
, mother of the Empress Valeria Messalina (third wife of the Emperor Claudius
). He was a great-nephew of the Emperor Augustus
, brother-in-law and second cousin of the Emperor Caligula
; maternal cousin of the Emperor Claudius
and the biological father to the Emperor Nero
.
during the 1st century. Suetonius describes him as ‘despicable and dishonest’. As a young man, Domitius was serving on the staff of his second cousin
Gaius Caesar
in the East. Gaius was a son of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa
and Julia the Elder
, daughter to the previously mentioned Augustus. Domitius fortified their friendship by killing his freedman
for refusing to drink as much as he was told |Suetonius]].The reported reason was that the freedman did not get as drunk as Domitius did. On the Appian Way
, Domitius was reported of having deliberately run over a child
who was playing with his doll. At the Roman Forum
, Domitius reportedly pulled out an eye
of a knight
because the knight openly critic
ized him.
Domitius cheated on bank
ers for purchases he made. When he was Praetor
, Domitius would swindle the prize
money
of victorious chariot
eers. Managers would complain, but Domitius decreed that future prizes would be paid on the spot. Domitius was also considered a serious womanizer. The Emperor Tiberius
charged him with treason
, adultery
and incest
with his sister and also with adultery with another noblewoman, but the ascension of Caligula saved him.
Domitius married his second cousin Agrippina the Younger
, Caligula
's sister, after her thirteenth birthday in 28. He was 45 years old at the time. Tiberius arranged and ordered the marriage which was celebrated in Rome
. Domitius was wealthy but apparently he and Agrippina chose to live between Antium (Anzio
) and Rome.
Domitius was Consul in 32 and appointed by Tiberius as a commissioner
in early 37. His son Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, later Emperor Nero
, was born on 15 December 37 in Antium. According to Suetonius
, he was congratulated by his friends for the birth of his son and Domitius said any child born to him and Agrippina would have a detestable nature and become a public danger, a fact that became true during the second part of Nero's reign. He died of edema
at Pyrgi
(an ancient Etruscan
city) in January 40. In Domitius' will, Nero inherited 1/3 of his estate. But Caligula, who was also mentioned in the will, took Nero's inheritance for himself. When Claudius became Emperor, Nero's inheritance was restored.
in the crimes of adultery
and murder
, and also of incest
with his sister Domitia Lepida
, and narrowly escaped execution only because of the death of Tiberius.
His widow
Agrippina later married her widowed uncle Claudius. Lucius was adopted by the elderly Claudius as Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus. When Claudius died on October 13, 54, Nero succeeded him as Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus
Germanicus. Nero exalted Domitius’ memory and the Roman Senate
arranged for the construction of his statue
in 55.
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...
s of the Julio-Claudian dynasty
Julio-Claudian Dynasty
The Julio-Claudian dynasty normally refers to the first five Roman Emperors: Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula , Claudius, and Nero, or the family to which they belonged; they ruled the Roman Empire from its formation, in the second half of the 1st century BC, until AD 68, when the last of the line,...
. Domitius was the only son of Antonia Major
Antonia Major
Antonia Major , also known as Antonia the Elder, was a daughter of Mark Antony and Octavia Minor and a relative of the first Roman Emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty...
(niece of 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...
Augustus
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
and daughter of Augustus' sister Octavia Minor
Octavia Minor
Octavia the Younger , also known as Octavia Minor or simply Octavia, was the sister of the first Roman Emperor, Augustus , half-sister of Octavia the Elder, and fourth wife of Mark Antony...
who was married to 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...
) and Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus (consul 16 BC). His only siblings were Domitia (aunt of Nero)
Domitia (aunt of Nero)
Domitia , more commonly referred to as Domitia Lepida the Elder was the oldest child of Antonia Major and Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus , and the oldest granddaughter to Triumvir Mark Antony and Octavia Minor, a great-niece of the Roman Emperor Augustus, second cousin and sister-in-law to the...
and Domitia Lepida
Domitia Lepida
Domitia Lepida, also known as Domitia Lepida the Younger, Domitia Lepida Minor, or simply Lepida ; was the younger daughter of Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus and Antonia Major. Her elder siblings were Domitia and Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, father of the emperor Nero...
, mother of the Empress Valeria Messalina (third wife of the Emperor Claudius
Claudius
Claudius , was Roman Emperor from 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, he was the son of Drusus and Antonia Minor. He was born at Lugdunum in Gaul and was the first Roman Emperor to be born outside Italy...
). He was a great-nephew of the Emperor Augustus
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
, brother-in-law and second cousin of the Emperor Caligula
Caligula
Caligula , also known as Gaius, was Roman Emperor from 37 AD to 41 AD. Caligula was a member of the house of rulers conventionally known as the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Caligula's father Germanicus, the nephew and adopted son of Emperor Tiberius, was a very successful general and one of Rome's most...
; maternal cousin of the Emperor Claudius
Claudius
Claudius , was Roman Emperor from 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, he was the son of Drusus and Antonia Minor. He was born at Lugdunum in Gaul and was the first Roman Emperor to be born outside Italy...
and the biological father to 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....
.
Life
Domitius was thus related to several notable figures who would dominate the Roman EmpireRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
during the 1st century. Suetonius describes him as ‘despicable and dishonest’. As a young man, Domitius was serving on the staff of his second cousin
Cousin
In kinship terminology, a cousin is a relative with whom one shares one or more common ancestors. The term is rarely used when referring to a relative in one's immediate family where there is a more specific term . The term "blood relative" can be used synonymously and establishes the existence of...
Gaius Caesar
Gaius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar , most commonly known as Gaius Caesar or Caius Caesar, was the oldest son of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa and Julia the Elder...
in the East. Gaius was a son of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa was a Roman statesman and general. He was a close friend, son-in-law, lieutenant and defense minister to Octavian, the future Emperor Caesar Augustus...
and Julia the Elder
Julia the Elder
Julia the Elder , known to her contemporaries as Julia Caesaris filia or Julia Augusti filia was the daughter and only biological child of Augustus, the first emperor of the Roman Empire. Augustus subsequently adopted several male members of his close family as sons...
, daughter to the previously mentioned Augustus. Domitius fortified their friendship by killing 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 ....
for refusing to drink as much as he was told |Suetonius]].The reported reason was that the freedman did not get as drunk as Domitius did. On the Appian Way
Appian Way
The Appian Way was one of the earliest and strategically most important Roman roads of the ancient republic. It connected Rome to Brindisi, Apulia, in southeast Italy...
, Domitius was reported of having deliberately run over a child
Child
Biologically, a child is generally a human between the stages of birth and puberty. Some vernacular definitions of a child include the fetus, as being an unborn child. The legal definition of "child" generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority...
who was playing with his doll. At the Roman Forum
Roman Forum
The Roman Forum is a rectangular forum surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the center of the city of Rome. Citizens of the ancient city referred to this space, originally a marketplace, as the Forum Magnum, or simply the Forum...
, Domitius reportedly pulled out an eye
Human eye
The human eye is an organ which reacts to light for several purposes. As a conscious sense organ, the eye allows vision. Rod and cone cells in the retina allow conscious light perception and vision including color differentiation and the perception of depth...
of a knight
Equestrian (Roman)
The Roman equestrian order constituted the lower of the two aristocratic classes of ancient Rome, ranking below the patricians , a hereditary caste that monopolised political power during the regal era and during the early Republic . A member of the equestrian order was known as an eques...
because the knight openly critic
Critic
A critic is anyone who expresses a value judgement. Informally, criticism is a common aspect of all human expression and need not necessarily imply skilled or accurate expressions of judgement. Critical judgements, good or bad, may be positive , negative , or balanced...
ized him.
Domitius cheated on bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
ers for purchases he made. When he was 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...
, Domitius would swindle the prize
Prize
A prize is an award to be given to a person or a group of people to recognise and reward actions or achievements. Official prizes often involve monetary rewards as well as the fame that comes with them...
money
Money
Money is any object or record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts in a given country or socio-economic context. The main functions of money are distinguished as: a medium of exchange; a unit of account; a store of value; and, occasionally in the past,...
of victorious chariot
Chariot
The chariot is a type of horse carriage used in both peace and war as the chief vehicle of many ancient peoples. Ox carts, proto-chariots, were built by the Proto-Indo-Europeans and also built in Mesopotamia as early as 3000 BC. The original horse chariot was a fast, light, open, two wheeled...
eers. Managers would complain, but Domitius decreed that future prizes would be paid on the spot. Domitius was also considered a serious womanizer. The Emperor Tiberius
Tiberius
Tiberius , was Roman Emperor from 14 AD to 37 AD. Tiberius was by birth a Claudian, son of Tiberius Claudius Nero and Livia Drusilla. His mother divorced Nero and married Augustus in 39 BC, making him a step-son of Octavian...
charged him with treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
, adultery
Adultery
Adultery is sexual infidelity to one's spouse, and is a form of extramarital sex. It originally referred only to sex between a woman who was married and a person other than her spouse. Even in cases of separation from one's spouse, an extramarital affair is still considered adultery.Adultery is...
and incest
Incest
Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
with his sister and also with adultery with another noblewoman, but the ascension of Caligula saved him.
Domitius married his second cousin Agrippina the Younger
Agrippina the Younger
Julia Agrippina, most commonly referred to as Agrippina Minor or Agrippina the Younger, and after 50 known as Julia Augusta Agrippina was a Roman Empress and one of the more prominent women in the Julio-Claudian dynasty...
, Caligula
Caligula
Caligula , also known as Gaius, was Roman Emperor from 37 AD to 41 AD. Caligula was a member of the house of rulers conventionally known as the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Caligula's father Germanicus, the nephew and adopted son of Emperor Tiberius, was a very successful general and one of Rome's most...
's sister, after her thirteenth birthday in 28. He was 45 years old at the time. Tiberius arranged and ordered the marriage which was celebrated in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. Domitius was wealthy but apparently he and Agrippina chose to live between Antium (Anzio
Anzio
Anzio is a city and comune on the coast of the Lazio region of Italy, about south of Rome.Well known for its seaside harbour setting, it is a fishing port and a departure point for ferries and hydroplanes to the Pontine Islands of Ponza, Palmarola and Ventotene...
) and Rome.
Domitius was Consul in 32 and appointed by Tiberius as a commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner is in principle the title given to a member of a commission or to an individual who has been given a commission ....
in early 37. His son Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, later 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....
, was born on 15 December 37 in Antium. According to Suetonius
Suetonius
Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus, commonly known as Suetonius , was a Roman historian belonging to the equestrian order in the early Imperial era....
, he was congratulated by his friends for the birth of his son and Domitius said any child born to him and Agrippina would have a detestable nature and become a public danger, a fact that became true during the second part of Nero's reign. He died of edema
Edema
Edema or oedema ; both words from the Greek , oídēma "swelling"), formerly known as dropsy or hydropsy, is an abnormal accumulation of fluid beneath the skin or in one or more cavities of the body that produces swelling...
at Pyrgi
Pyrgi
Pyrgi was an ancient Etruscan port in Latium, central Italy, to the north-west of Caere. Its location is now occupied by the burgh of Santa Severa....
(an ancient Etruscan
Etruscan civilization
Etruscan civilization is the modern English name given to a civilization of ancient Italy in the area corresponding roughly to Tuscany. The ancient Romans called its creators the Tusci or Etrusci...
city) in January 40. In Domitius' will, Nero inherited 1/3 of his estate. But Caligula, who was also mentioned in the will, took Nero's inheritance for himself. When Claudius became Emperor, Nero's inheritance was restored.
Legacy
During his lifetime, Domitius did not enjoy a good reputation. He was accused of being the accomplice of AlbucillaAlbucilla
Albucilla was the wife of Satrius Secundus, and was infamous for having had many lovers. In the last year of the reign of the emperor Tiberius, 37 AD, she was accused of treason, or impiety, against the emperor along with Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, Vibius Marsus, and Lucius Arruntius...
in the crimes of adultery
Adultery
Adultery is sexual infidelity to one's spouse, and is a form of extramarital sex. It originally referred only to sex between a woman who was married and a person other than her spouse. Even in cases of separation from one's spouse, an extramarital affair is still considered adultery.Adultery is...
and murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
, and also of incest
Incest
Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
with his sister Domitia Lepida
Domitia Lepida
Domitia Lepida, also known as Domitia Lepida the Younger, Domitia Lepida Minor, or simply Lepida ; was the younger daughter of Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus and Antonia Major. Her elder siblings were Domitia and Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, father of the emperor Nero...
, and narrowly escaped execution only because of the death of Tiberius.
His widow
Widow
A widow is a woman whose spouse has died, while a widower is a man whose spouse has died. The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed widowhood or occasionally viduity. The adjective form is widowed...
Agrippina later married her widowed uncle Claudius. Lucius was adopted by the elderly Claudius as Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus. When Claudius died on October 13, 54, Nero succeeded him as Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus
Augustus (honorific)
Augustus , Latin for "majestic," "the increaser," or "venerable", was an Ancient Roman title, which was first held by Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus , and subsequently came to be considered one of the titles of what are now known as the Roman Emperors...
Germanicus. Nero exalted Domitius’ memory and 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...
arranged for the construction of his statue
Statue
A statue is a sculpture in the round representing a person or persons, an animal, an idea or an event, normally full-length, as opposed to a bust, and at least close to life-size, or larger...
in 55.