Publius Silius Nerva
Encyclopedia
Publius Silius Nerva was a Roman politician and general who was consul
in 20 BC
.
, Nerva was rewarded with a number of important postings throughout his career.
Having risen through the ranks of the cursus honorum
, he was awarded the consulate
in 20 BC alongside Marcus Appuleius, becoming one of the many homines novi
ennobled
during Augustus’s Principate
.
After his consulate he was posted to Hispania Citerior
in 19 BC
as legatus
, where he was involved in the ongoing Cantabrian Wars
, helping Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa
finally end the long and bloody campaign. Following this he was posted to Illyricum
where he was legate from 17 to 16 BC.
Nerva had three sons, all consular: Aulus Licinius Nerva Silianus (Consul 7 AD), Publius Silius (Consul suffectus 3 AD) and Gaius Silius (Consul 13 AD).
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...
in 20 BC
20 BC
Year 20 BC was either a common year starting on Wednesday or Thursday or a leap year starting on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday of the Julian calendar and a common year starting on Tuesday of the Proleptic Julian calendar...
.
Biography
Nerva was the son of a senator who had achieved the rank of propraetor. A partisan of the emperor AugustusAugustus
Augustus ;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...
, Nerva was rewarded with a number of important postings throughout his career.
Having risen through the ranks of the cursus honorum
Cursus honorum
The cursus honorum was the sequential order of public offices held by aspiring politicians in both the Roman Republic and the early Empire. It was designed for men of senatorial rank. The cursus honorum comprised a mixture of military and political administration posts. Each office had a minimum...
, he was awarded the consulate
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...
in 20 BC alongside Marcus Appuleius, becoming one of the many homines novi
Novus homo
Homo novus was the term in ancient Rome for a man who was the first in his family to serve in the Roman Senate or, more specifically, to be elected as consul...
ennobled
Nobiles
During the Roman Republic, nobilis was a descriptive term of social rank, usually indicating that a member of the family had achieved the consulship. Those who belonged to the hereditary patrician families were noble, but plebeians whose ancestors were consuls were also considered nobiles...
during Augustus’s Principate
Principate
The Principate is the first period of the Roman Empire, extending from the beginning of the reign of Caesar Augustus to the Crisis of the Third Century, after which it was replaced with the Dominate. The Principate is characterized by a concerted effort on the part of the Emperors to preserve the...
.
After his consulate he was posted to Hispania Citerior
Hispania Citerior
During the Roman Republic, Hispania Citerior was a region of Hispania roughly occupying the northeastern coast and the Ebro Valley of what is now Spain. Hispania Ulterior was located west of Hispania Citerior—that is, farther away from Rome.-External links:*...
in 19 BC
19 BC
Year 19 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 Wednesday of the Proleptic Julian calendar...
as legatus
Legatus Augusti pro praetore
A legatus Augusti pro praetore was the official title of the governor of some imperial provinces of the Roman Empire during the Principate era, normally the larger ones or those where legions were based...
, where he was involved in the ongoing Cantabrian Wars
Cantabrian Wars
The Cantabrian Wars occurred during the Roman conquest of the modern provinces of Cantabria, Asturias and León, against the Asturs and the Cantabri. They were the final stage of the conquest of Hispania.-Antecedents:...
, helping Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa was a Roman statesman and general. He was a close friend, son-in-law, lieutenant and defense minister to Octavian, the future Emperor Caesar Augustus...
finally end the long and bloody campaign. Following this he was posted to Illyricum
Illyricum (Roman province)
The Roman province of Illyricum or Illyris Romana or Illyris Barbara or Illyria Barbara replaced most of the region of Illyria. It stretched from the Drilon river in modern north Albania to Istria in the west and to the Sava river in the north. Salona functioned as its capital...
where he was legate from 17 to 16 BC.
Nerva had three sons, all consular: Aulus Licinius Nerva Silianus (Consul 7 AD), Publius Silius (Consul suffectus 3 AD) and Gaius Silius (Consul 13 AD).
Sources
- T. Robert S. BroughtonThomas Robert Shannon BroughtonThomas Robert Shannon Broughton was a Canadian classical scholar and leading Latin prosopographer of the twentieth century. He is especially noted for his definitive three-volume work, Magistrates of the Roman Republic ....
, The Magistrates of the Roman Republic (1952). - Syme, Ronald, The Roman Revolution, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1939.