Lucius Postumius Albinus (consul 234 and 229 BC)
Encyclopedia
Lucius Postumius A. f. A. n. Albinus (died 216 BC
) was a Roman consul
of the third century BC. Most of our knowledge about his career and his demise comes from Livy's
Ab Urbe Condita
. From his filiation, "A. f. A. n.", we know that he was probably the son of Aulus Postumius Albinus
, consul in 242 BC.
He was elected to highest office three times, for the years 234, 229 and 215 BC. In 228/7 BC, he was the leader of a Roman military campaign against the Illyrian
queen Teuta. However he did not celebrate a triumph
for this victory upon his return.
In 216 BC, with the rank of a praetor
, he was to lead his army of two legions
plus reinforcements against the Celtic Boii
. The following year, in his absence, he was elected consul
for the third time, although he did not live to officially enter consulship. While traveling through the Litana Silva forest in Gallia Cisalpina, Postumius was ambushed by a force of Boii
warriors who annihilated most of his soldiers. Postumius and the remainder of the legions tried to escape over a nearby bridge, but they were slaughtered by a Boian detachement who guarded the crossing. The consul was decapitated, and his skull
was then clad in gold
and made into a sacrificial bowl. As Livy
tells us:
216 BC
Year 216 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Varro and Paullus...
) was a Roman 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...
of the third century BC. Most of our knowledge about his career and his demise comes from Livy's
Livy
Titus Livius — known as Livy in English — was a Roman historian who wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people. Ab Urbe Condita Libri, "Chapters from the Foundation of the City," covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome well before the traditional foundation in 753 BC...
Ab Urbe Condita
Ab Urbe condita (book)
Ab urbe condita libri — often shortened to Ab urbe condita — is a monumental history of ancient Rome written in Latin sometime between 27 and 25 BC by the historian Titus Livius. The work covers the time from the stories of Aeneas, the earliest legendary period from before the city's founding in c....
. From his filiation, "A. f. A. n.", we know that he was probably the son of Aulus Postumius Albinus
Aulus Postumius Albinus (consul 242 BC)
Aulus Postumius Albinus was a politician of Ancient Rome, of patrician rank, of the 3rd century BC.He was elected consul in 242 BC with Gaius Lutatius Catulus, who defeated the Carthaginians in the Battle of the Aegates Islands, and thus, brought the First Punic War to an end. Albinus was kept in...
, consul in 242 BC.
He was elected to highest office three times, for the years 234, 229 and 215 BC. In 228/7 BC, he was the leader of a Roman military campaign against the Illyrian
Illyrians
The Illyrians were a group of tribes who inhabited part of the western Balkans in antiquity and the south-eastern coasts of the Italian peninsula...
queen Teuta. However he did not celebrate a triumph
Roman triumph
The Roman triumph was a civil ceremony and religious rite of ancient Rome, held to publicly celebrate and sanctify the military achievement of an army commander who had won great military successes, or originally and traditionally, one who had successfully completed a foreign war. In Republican...
for this victory upon his return.
In 216 BC, with the rank of a 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...
, he was to lead his army of two legions
Roman legion
A Roman legion normally indicates the basic ancient Roman army unit recruited specifically from Roman citizens. The organization of legions varied greatly over time but they were typically composed of perhaps 5,000 soldiers, divided into maniples and later into "cohorts"...
plus reinforcements against the Celtic Boii
Boii
The Boii were one of the most prominent ancient Celtic tribes of the later Iron Age, attested at various times in Cisalpine Gaul , Pannonia , in and around Bohemia, and Transalpine Gaul...
. The following year, in his absence, he was elected 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...
for the third time, although he did not live to officially enter consulship. While traveling through the Litana Silva forest in Gallia Cisalpina, Postumius was ambushed by a force of Boii
Boii
The Boii were one of the most prominent ancient Celtic tribes of the later Iron Age, attested at various times in Cisalpine Gaul , Pannonia , in and around Bohemia, and Transalpine Gaul...
warriors who annihilated most of his soldiers. Postumius and the remainder of the legions tried to escape over a nearby bridge, but they were slaughtered by a Boian detachement who guarded the crossing. The consul was decapitated, and his skull
Human skull
The human skull is a bony structure, skeleton, that is in the human head and which supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain.In humans, the adult skull is normally made up of 22 bones...
was then clad in gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
and made into a sacrificial bowl. As Livy
Livy
Titus Livius — known as Livy in English — was a Roman historian who wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people. Ab Urbe Condita Libri, "Chapters from the Foundation of the City," covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome well before the traditional foundation in 753 BC...
tells us: