Naevius Sutorius Macro
Encyclopedia
Quintus Naevius Cordus Sutorius Macro (21 BC - 38 AD) was a prefect
of the Praetorian Guard
, from 31 until 38, serving under the Roman Emperors Tiberius
and Caligula
. Upon falling out of favour, he committed suicide.
, a Roman town at the foot of Monte Velino
, situated on a hill just to the north of the Via Valeria
.
Inscriptional evidence from the ruins of this town reveals that, prior to becoming Praetorian prefect, Macro had served as prefect of the vigiles
, the Roman fire brigade
and night watch. However the date of this appointment and the length of his tenure are unknown.
Macro was appointed Praetorian prefect by Tiberius after the arrest of Sejanus
. According to Tacitus
, Macro was active in discrediting Sejanus and in directing the subsequent purge against his family and followers.
As prefect, Macro wielded considerable influence. He furthered his ambitions by befriending Tiberius' grand-nephew Gaius, better known as Caligula
, one of the Emperor's prospective heirs. According to Suetonius
, Macro gained further favor by turning a blind eye to his wife Eunia
's affair with Caligula around the year 34 AD.
When Tiberius died in the year 37 AD, Macro immediately sided with the new Emperor Caligula. According to Tacitus
, Macro even played an active role in bringing about Caligula's rise to power by ordering Tiberius to be killed after it was revealed that reports of his death had been premature: Caligula had begun to take power immediately upon hearing that Tiberius had died of natural causes but without confirming that Tiberius had indeed died. In fact, Tiberius was still alive, and shortly thereafter was heard calling for food. In order to prevent an embarrassing and potentially dangerous situation, should Tiberius have reacted angrily to Caligula's hasty ascension to power, Macro "ordered the old Emperor to be smothered under a huge heap of clothes."
Macro was confident of rapid promotion for past services. However, Caligula was aware of the potential threat Macro posed and soon removed him from office. According to some sources, Macro was promised the governorship of Egypt but upon arriving at Ostia with Eunia to take ship, he was instead arrested and stripped of his office in the year 38 AD. Macro and Eunia both committed suicide soon after.
in the 1976 BBC
TV adaptation
of Robert Graves
's book I, Claudius and by Guido Mannari in Caligula
. In the trailer for the fictional remake of Caligula, he was played by Benicio del Toro
.
Praetorian prefect
Praetorian prefect was the title of a high office in the Roman Empire. Originating as the commander of the Praetorian Guard, the office gradually acquired extensive legal and administrative functions, with its holders becoming the Emperor's chief aides...
of the Praetorian Guard
Praetorian Guard
The Praetorian Guard was a force of bodyguards used by Roman Emperors. The title was already used during the Roman Republic for the guards of Roman generals, at least since the rise to prominence of the Scipio family around 275 BC...
, from 31 until 38, serving under the Roman Emperors 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...
and 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...
. Upon falling out of favour, he committed suicide.
Life
Macro was born in 21 BC at Alba FucensAlba Fucens
Alba Fucens was an ancient Italic town occupying a lofty situation at the foot of the Monte Velino, c. 6.5 km north of Avezzano, Abruzzo, central Italy. Its remains are today in the comune of Massa d'Albe....
, a Roman town at the foot of Monte Velino
Monte Velino
Monte Velino is a mountain in the province of L'Aquila, Abruzzo, central Italy, part of the Abruzzo Apennines. Located nearby the boundary with Lazio, between the Fucino plain and the Aterno, Salto and Velino rivers' valleys, it is the highest peak in the sub-chain known as Velino-Sirente, and...
, situated on a hill just to the north of the Via Valeria
Via Valeria
The Via Valeria was an ancient Roman road of Italy, the continuation north-eastwards of the Via Tiburtina. It probably owed its origin to Marcus Valerius Messalla, censor in 154 BC...
.
Inscriptional evidence from the ruins of this town reveals that, prior to becoming Praetorian prefect, Macro had served as prefect of the vigiles
Vigiles
The Vigiles or more properly the Vigiles Urbani or Cohortes Vigilum were the firefighters and police of Ancient Rome.-History:...
, the Roman fire brigade
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
and night watch. However the date of this appointment and the length of his tenure are unknown.
Macro was appointed Praetorian prefect by Tiberius after the arrest of Sejanus
Sejanus
Lucius Aelius Seianus , commonly known as Sejanus, was an ambitious soldier, friend and confidant of the Roman Emperor Tiberius...
. According to Tacitus
Tacitus
Publius Cornelius Tacitus was a senator and a historian of the Roman Empire. The surviving portions of his two major works—the Annals and the Histories—examine the reigns of the Roman Emperors Tiberius, Claudius, Nero and those who reigned in the Year of the Four Emperors...
, Macro was active in discrediting Sejanus and in directing the subsequent purge against his family and followers.
As prefect, Macro wielded considerable influence. He furthered his ambitions by befriending Tiberius' grand-nephew Gaius, better known as 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...
, one of the Emperor's prospective heirs. According to Suetonius
Lives of the Twelve Caesars
De vita Caesarum commonly known as The Twelve Caesars, is a set of twelve biographies of Julius Caesar and the first 11 emperors of the Roman Empire written by Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus.The work, written in AD 121 during the reign of the emperor Hadrian, was the most popular work of Suetonius,...
, Macro gained further favor by turning a blind eye to his wife Eunia
Eunia
Eunia, sometimes known as Ennia, was a Greek woman who lived in the 1st century Roman Empire. According to Suetonius she is known as Ennia Naeva .Eunia was of Greek and Armenian descent...
's affair with Caligula around the year 34 AD.
When Tiberius died in the year 37 AD, Macro immediately sided with the new Emperor Caligula. According to Tacitus
Tacitus
Publius Cornelius Tacitus was a senator and a historian of the Roman Empire. The surviving portions of his two major works—the Annals and the Histories—examine the reigns of the Roman Emperors Tiberius, Claudius, Nero and those who reigned in the Year of the Four Emperors...
, Macro even played an active role in bringing about Caligula's rise to power by ordering Tiberius to be killed after it was revealed that reports of his death had been premature: Caligula had begun to take power immediately upon hearing that Tiberius had died of natural causes but without confirming that Tiberius had indeed died. In fact, Tiberius was still alive, and shortly thereafter was heard calling for food. In order to prevent an embarrassing and potentially dangerous situation, should Tiberius have reacted angrily to Caligula's hasty ascension to power, Macro "ordered the old Emperor to be smothered under a huge heap of clothes."
Macro was confident of rapid promotion for past services. However, Caligula was aware of the potential threat Macro posed and soon removed him from office. According to some sources, Macro was promised the governorship of Egypt but upon arriving at Ostia with Eunia to take ship, he was instead arrested and stripped of his office in the year 38 AD. Macro and Eunia both committed suicide soon after.
Macro in fiction
In the 1968 ITV Granada-TV production, "The Caesars," the part of Macro was played by Jerome Willis. Macro was played by John Rhys-DaviesJohn Rhys-Davies
John Rhys-Davies is a Welsh actor and voice actor. He is perhaps best known for playing the charismatic Arab excavator Sallah in the Indiana Jones films and the dwarf Gimli in The Lord of the Rings trilogy...
in the 1976 BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
TV adaptation
I, Claudius (TV series)
I, Claudius is a 1976 BBC Television adaptation of Robert Graves' I, Claudius and Claudius the God. Written by Jack Pulman, it proved one of the corporation's most successful drama serials of all time...
of Robert Graves
Robert Graves
Robert von Ranke Graves 24 July 1895 – 7 December 1985 was an English poet, translator and novelist. During his long life he produced more than 140 works...
's book I, Claudius and by Guido Mannari in Caligula
Caligula (film)
Caligula is a 1979 American-produced Italian biographical film directed by Tinto Brass, with additional scenes filmed by Giancarlo Lui and Penthouse founder Bob Guccione. The film concerns the rise and fall of Roman Emperor Gaius Caesar Germanicus, better known as Caligula...
. In the trailer for the fictional remake of Caligula, he was played by Benicio del Toro
Benicio del Toro
Benicio Monserrate Rafael del Toro Sánchez is a Puerto Rican and Spanish actor and film producer. He won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a BAFTA Award for his role as Javier Rodríguez in Traffic . He is also known for his roles as Fred Fenster in The Usual...
.