Publius Afranius Potitus
Encyclopedia
Publius Afranius Potitus was a Roman plebeian
who vowed during an illness of Caligula
to sacrifice his own life if the emperor recovered, expecting to be rewarded for his devotion. But when Caligula got well, and Afranius was unwilling to fulfill his vow, the emperor had him decked out like a sacrificial victim, paraded through the streets, and then hurled down from the eminence (ex aggere) by the Colline gate.
Plebs
The plebs was the general body of free land-owning Roman citizens in Ancient Rome. They were distinct from the higher order of the patricians. A member of the plebs was known as a plebeian...
who vowed during an illness of 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...
to sacrifice his own life if the emperor recovered, expecting to be rewarded for his devotion. But when Caligula got well, and Afranius was unwilling to fulfill his vow, the emperor had him decked out like a sacrificial victim, paraded through the streets, and then hurled down from the eminence (ex aggere) by the Colline gate.