Manius Acilius Glabrio (consul 191 BC)
Encyclopedia
Manius Acilius Glabrio was a consul
of the Roman Republic
in 191 BC. He came from an illustrious plebeian family (gens
) whose members held magistracies throughout the Republic and into the Imperial era
.
As consul, Glabrio defeated the Seleucid
ruler Antiochus the Great at the Battle of Thermopylae
, and compelled him to leave Greece
. He then turned his attention to the Aetolian League
, who had persuaded Antiochus to declare war against Rome, and was only prevented from crushing them by the intercession of Titus Quinctius Flamininus
.
In 189 BC, Glabrio was a candidate for the censorship
, but was opposed by a patrician faction. He was accused by the tribune
s of having concealed a portion of the Syrian spoils in his own house; his legate
gave evidence against him, and he withdrew his candidature.
It is probable that Glabrio was the author of the law which left it to the discretion of the pontiff
s to insert or omit the intercalary month of the year; see Roman calendar
.
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 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...
in 191 BC. He came from an illustrious plebeian family (gens
Gens
In ancient Rome, a gens , plural gentes, referred to a family, consisting of all those individuals who shared the same nomen and claimed descent from a common ancestor. A branch of a gens was called a stirps . The gens was an important social structure at Rome and throughout Italy during the...
) whose members held magistracies throughout the Republic and into the Imperial era
Roman 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....
.
As consul, Glabrio defeated the Seleucid
Seleucid Empire
The Seleucid Empire was a Greek-Macedonian state that was created out of the eastern conquests of Alexander the Great. At the height of its power, it included central Anatolia, the Levant, Mesopotamia, Persia, today's Turkmenistan, Pamir and parts of Pakistan.The Seleucid Empire was a major centre...
ruler Antiochus the Great at the Battle of Thermopylae
Battle of Thermopylae (191 BC)
The Battle of Thermopylae was fought in 191 BC between a Roman army led by consul Manius Acilius Glabrio and a Seleucid force led by King Antiochus III the Great. The Romans were victorious, and as a result, Antiochus was forced to flee Greece. It was described by Appian and by Livy at...
, and compelled him to leave Greece
Regions of Ancient Greece
The regions of ancient Greece were areas identified by the ancient Greeks as geographical sub-divisions of the Hellenic world. These regions are described in the works of ancient historians and geographers, and in the legends and myths of the ancient Greeks....
. He then turned his attention to the Aetolian League
Aetolian League
The Aetolian League was a confederation of tribal communities and cities in ancient Greece centered on Aetolia in central Greece. It was established, probably during the early Hellenistic era, in opposition to Macedon and the Achaean League. Two annual meetings were held in Thermika and Panaetolika...
, who had persuaded Antiochus to declare war against Rome, and was only prevented from crushing them by the intercession of Titus Quinctius Flamininus
Titus Quinctius Flamininus
Titus Quinctius Flamininus was a Roman politician and general instrumental in the Roman conquest of Greece.Member of the gens Quinctia, and brother to Lucius Quinctius Flamininus, he served as a military tribune in the Second Punic war and in 205 BC he was appointed propraetor in Tarentum...
.
In 189 BC, Glabrio was a candidate for the censorship
Censor (ancient Rome)
The censor was an officer in ancient Rome who was responsible for maintaining the census, supervising public morality, and overseeing certain aspects of the government's finances....
, but was opposed by a patrician faction. He was accused by the tribune
Tribune
Tribune was a title shared by elected officials in the Roman Republic. Tribunes had the power to convene the Plebeian Council and to act as its president, which also gave them the right to propose legislation before it. They were sacrosanct, in the sense that any assault on their person was...
s of having concealed a portion of the Syrian spoils in his own house; his legate
Legatus
A legatus was a general in the Roman army, equivalent to a modern general officer. Being of senatorial rank, his immediate superior was the dux, and he outranked all military tribunes...
gave evidence against him, and he withdrew his candidature.
It is probable that Glabrio was the author of the law which left it to the discretion of the pontiff
Pontiff
A pontiff was, in Roman antiquity, a member of the principal college of priests . The term "pontiff" was later applied to any high or chief priest and, in ecclesiastical usage, to a bishop and more particularly to the Bishop of Rome, the Pope or "Roman Pontiff".-Etymology:The English term derives...
s to insert or omit the intercalary month of the year; see Roman calendar
Roman calendar
The Roman calendar changed its form several times in the time between the founding of Rome and the fall of the Roman Empire. This article generally discusses the early Roman or pre-Julian calendars...
.