Marcus Claudius Marcellus Aeserninus
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Marcus Claudius Marcellus Aeserninus is the name of several people in ancient Roman history:
- Marcus Claudius, M. F. Marcellus Aeserninus is mentioned by CiceroCiceroMarcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
as a young man at the trial of VerresVerresGaius Verres was a Roman magistrate, notorious for his misgovernment of Sicily. It is not known what gens he belonged to, though some give him the nomen Licinius.-As governor:...
(70 BC70 BCYear 70 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Magnus and Dives...
), on which occasion he appeared as a witness, where, however, several editions give his name as C. Marcellus.
- Marcus Claudius Marcellus Aeserninus was quaestorQuaestorA Quaestor was a type of public official in the "Cursus honorum" system who supervised financial affairs. In the Roman Republic a quaestor was an elected official whereas, with the autocratic government of the Roman Empire, quaestors were simply appointed....
in HispaniaHispaniaAnother theory holds that the name derives from Ezpanna, the Basque word for "border" or "edge", thus meaning the farthest area or place. Isidore of Sevilla considered Hispania derived from Hispalis....
in 48 BC48 BCYear 48 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Caesar and Vatia...
, under Quintus Cassius LonginusQuintus Cassius LonginusQuintus Cassius Longinus, the brother or cousin of Cassius , was a governor in Hispania for Caesar....
. Some scholars suppose him to be a son of the preceding, while others, such as Johann Caspar von OrelliJohann Caspar von OrelliJohann Caspar von Orelli , was a Swiss classical scholar.He was born at Zürich of a distinguished Italian family which had taken refuge in Switzerland at the time of the Protestant Reformation...
, regard him as identical. Cassius sent him with a body of troops to hold possession of Corduba, on occasion of the mutinyMutinyMutiny is a conspiracy among members of a group of similarly situated individuals to openly oppose, change or overthrow an authority to which they are subject...
and revolt excited in Hispania by his own exactions. But Marcellus quickly joined the mutineers, though, whether voluntarily or by compulsion, is not certain; and put himself at the head of all the troops assembled at Corduba, whom he retained in their fidelity to Julius CaesarJulius CaesarGaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
, at the same time that he prepared to resist Cassius by force of arms. But though the two leaders, with their armies, were for some time opposed to one another, Marcellus avoided coming to a general engagement; and on the arrival soon after of the proconsul, Marcus Aemilius LepidusMarcus Aemilius LepidusMarcus Aemilius Lepidus may refer to:* Marcus Aemilius Lepidus , consul in 232 BC and 221 BC, and augur* Marcus Aemilius Lepidus , consul in 187 BC and 175 BC, Pontifex Maximus 180–152 BC, and censor...
, he hastened to submit to his authority, and place the legions under his command at his disposal. By the questionable part he had acted on this occasion Marcellus at first incurred the resentment of Caesar, but was afterwards restored to favor.
- Marcus Claudius, M. F. Marcellus Aeserninus was consulConsulConsul 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 22 BC22 BCYear 22 BC was either a common year starting on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday or a leap year starting on Sunday or Saturday of the Julian calendar and a common year starting on Saturday of the Proleptic Julian calendar...
. Perhaps the same person as the preceding. He married Asinia, the daughter of Gaius Asinius PollioGaius Asinius Pollio (consul 40 BC)Gaius Asinius Pollio was a Roman soldier, politician, orator, poet, playwright, literary critic and historian, whose lost contemporary history, provided much of the material for the historians Appian and Plutarch...
, who was consul in 40 BC40 BCYear 40 BC was either a common year starting on Thursday, Friday or Saturday or a leap year starting on Thursday or Friday of the Julian calendar and a common year starting on Friday of the Proleptic Julian calendar...
.
- Marcus Claudius, M. F. Marcellus Aeserninus, son of the preceding. When a boy he broke his leg while acting in the Trojan games before AugustusAugustusAugustus ;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...
, a circumstance of which his grandfather, Asinius PollioGaius Asinius Pollio (consul 40 BC)Gaius Asinius Pollio was a Roman soldier, politician, orator, poet, playwright, literary critic and historian, whose lost contemporary history, provided much of the material for the historians Appian and Plutarch...
, complained so loudly that the custom was abolished. He was trained with much care by his grandfather in all kinds of oratoricalOratoryOratory is a type of public speaking.Oratory may also refer to:* Oratory , a power metal band* Oratory , a place of worship* a religious order such as** Oratory of Saint Philip Neri ** Oratory of Jesus...
exercises, and gave much promise as an orator. In 20 AD20Year 20 was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Messala and Cotta...
he was one of those whom Gnaeus Calpurnius PisoGnaeus Calpurnius PisoGnaeus Calpurnius Piso , Roman statesman, was consul in 7 BC; subsequently, he was governor of Hispania and proconsul of Africa.In AD 17 Tiberius appointed him governor of Syria...
requested to undertake his defense on the charge of having poisoned GermanicusGermanicusGermanicus Julius Caesar , commonly known as Germanicus, was a member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty and a prominent general of the early Roman Empire. He was born in Rome, Italia, and was named either Nero Claudius Drusus after his father or Tiberius Claudius Nero after his uncle...
, but he declined the office. It is probable that the Asinius Marcellus mentioned by Tacitus as a great-grandson of Pollio was a son of this Aeserninus.