Sergius Octavius Laenas Pontianus
Encyclopedia
Sergius Octavius Laenas Pontianus was a consul
of Ancient Rome
in the year 131CE, during the reign of the Roman Emperor
Hadrian
. He was probably born in the late 1st century CE to an otherwise unknown Octavius Laenas and a woman named Pontia.
and his connection to the Roman Emperor
Nerva
.
, possibly set up by Pontianus himself, recounts a single genealogical connection to a female ancestor, specifically his grandmother, Rubellia Bassa
, the daughter of Gaius Rubellius Blandus
. The genealogical significance of this connection is that the Gaius Rubellius Blandus
had, in the early 30s CE, married Julia
, the daughter of Julius Caesar Drusus
, who, in turn, was the son of the Roman Emperor
, Tiberius
. Unfortunately, it is not known whether Rubellia Bassa
was a product of this union or a daughter of Blandus
by an earlier marriage. Either way, Pontianus was still able to make a connection very few (if any) others were able to make by the reign of Hadrian
, specifically, one to the first dynasty of Rome.
A likely relative of Pontianus is one 'Sergius Rubellius Plautus', whose name was found on a lead pipe at Rome. It is uncertain whether this Rubellius Plautus is the son of Gaius Rubellius Blandus
and Julia
or another otherwise unknown relative.
connection was not the only Imperial connection of Sergius Octavius Laenas Pontianus. He also had a blood connection with the Roman Emperor
Nerva
.
The connection was as follows: Sergius Octavius Laenas Pontianus was a descendant (probably great-grandson) of the Gaius Octavius Laenas (suffect consul 33 CE), who had a sister named Sergia Plautilla, who married a Marcus Cocceius Nerva, and whose union resulted in the Roman Emperor
Nerva
.
An inscription from Lucus Angitiae (modern Luco) that refers to a "... g ... Octav ... n ... ontianus" as being a member of the College of Pontiffs
, might be about Pontianus.
Consul
Consul 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...
of Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
in the year 131CE, during the reign of the Roman Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
Hadrian
Hadrian
Hadrian , was Roman Emperor from 117 to 138. He is best known for building Hadrian's Wall, which marked the northern limit of Roman Britain. In Rome, he re-built the Pantheon and constructed the Temple of Venus and Roma. In addition to being emperor, Hadrian was a humanist and was philhellene in...
. He was probably born in the late 1st century CE to an otherwise unknown Octavius Laenas and a woman named Pontia.
Family and Descent
Sergius Octavius Laenas Pontianus was a genealogically important figure on two accounts: his connection to the Julio-Claudian DynastyJulio-Claudian Dynasty
The Julio-Claudian dynasty normally refers to the first five Roman Emperors: Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula , Claudius, and Nero, or the family to which they belonged; they ruled the Roman Empire from its formation, in the second half of the 1st century BC, until AD 68, when the last of the line,...
and his connection to the Roman Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
Nerva
Nerva
Nerva , was Roman Emperor from 96 to 98. Nerva became Emperor at the age of sixty-five, after a lifetime of imperial service under Nero and the rulers of the Flavian dynasty. Under Nero, he was a member of the imperial entourage and played a vital part in exposing the Pisonian conspiracy of 65...
.
Julio-Claudian Connection
An inscription found at TusculumTusculum
Tusculum is a ruined Roman city in the Alban Hills, in the Latium region of Italy.-Location:Tusculum is one of the largest Roman cities in Alban Hills. The ruins of Tusculum are located on Tuscolo hill—more specifically on the northern edge of the outer crater ring of the Alban volcano...
, possibly set up by Pontianus himself, recounts a single genealogical connection to a female ancestor, specifically his grandmother, Rubellia Bassa
Rubellia Bassa
Rubellia Bassa was a daughter of Gaius Rubellius Blandus, consul in 18 and possibly his wife Julia or an earlier wife.-Possible Imperial ancestry:...
, the daughter of Gaius Rubellius Blandus
Gaius Rubellius Blandus
Gaius Rubellius Blandus was a suffect consul of ancient Rome, a grandson of Rubellius Blandus of Tibur . Blandus' family were from the Equestrian class.-Career:...
. The genealogical significance of this connection is that the Gaius Rubellius Blandus
Gaius Rubellius Blandus
Gaius Rubellius Blandus was a suffect consul of ancient Rome, a grandson of Rubellius Blandus of Tibur . Blandus' family were from the Equestrian class.-Career:...
had, in the early 30s CE, married Julia
Julia (daughter of Drusus the Younger)
Julia Drusi Caesaris Filia was the daughter of Drusus Julius Caesar and Livilla and granddaughter to the Roman Emperor Tiberius.-Chronology:At the time of Emperor Augustus' death in 14 Julia was ill...
, the daughter of Julius Caesar Drusus
Julius Caesar Drusus
Nero Claudius Drusus, later Drusus Julius Caesar was the only child of Roman Emperor Tiberius and his first wife, Vipsania Agrippina...
, who, in turn, was the son of the Roman Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
, 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...
. Unfortunately, it is not known whether Rubellia Bassa
Rubellia Bassa
Rubellia Bassa was a daughter of Gaius Rubellius Blandus, consul in 18 and possibly his wife Julia or an earlier wife.-Possible Imperial ancestry:...
was a product of this union or a daughter of Blandus
Gaius Rubellius Blandus
Gaius Rubellius Blandus was a suffect consul of ancient Rome, a grandson of Rubellius Blandus of Tibur . Blandus' family were from the Equestrian class.-Career:...
by an earlier marriage. Either way, Pontianus was still able to make a connection very few (if any) others were able to make by the reign of Hadrian
Hadrian
Hadrian , was Roman Emperor from 117 to 138. He is best known for building Hadrian's Wall, which marked the northern limit of Roman Britain. In Rome, he re-built the Pantheon and constructed the Temple of Venus and Roma. In addition to being emperor, Hadrian was a humanist and was philhellene in...
, specifically, one to the first dynasty of Rome.
A likely relative of Pontianus is one 'Sergius Rubellius Plautus', whose name was found on a lead pipe at Rome. It is uncertain whether this Rubellius Plautus is the son of Gaius Rubellius Blandus
Gaius Rubellius Blandus
Gaius Rubellius Blandus was a suffect consul of ancient Rome, a grandson of Rubellius Blandus of Tibur . Blandus' family were from the Equestrian class.-Career:...
and Julia
Julia (daughter of Drusus the Younger)
Julia Drusi Caesaris Filia was the daughter of Drusus Julius Caesar and Livilla and granddaughter to the Roman Emperor Tiberius.-Chronology:At the time of Emperor Augustus' death in 14 Julia was ill...
or another otherwise unknown relative.
Connection to Nerva
However, the Julio-ClaudianJulio-Claudian Dynasty
The Julio-Claudian dynasty normally refers to the first five Roman Emperors: Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula , Claudius, and Nero, or the family to which they belonged; they ruled the Roman Empire from its formation, in the second half of the 1st century BC, until AD 68, when the last of the line,...
connection was not the only Imperial connection of Sergius Octavius Laenas Pontianus. He also had a blood connection with the Roman Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
Nerva
Nerva
Nerva , was Roman Emperor from 96 to 98. Nerva became Emperor at the age of sixty-five, after a lifetime of imperial service under Nero and the rulers of the Flavian dynasty. Under Nero, he was a member of the imperial entourage and played a vital part in exposing the Pisonian conspiracy of 65...
.
The connection was as follows: Sergius Octavius Laenas Pontianus was a descendant (probably great-grandson) of the Gaius Octavius Laenas (suffect consul 33 CE), who had a sister named Sergia Plautilla, who married a Marcus Cocceius Nerva, and whose union resulted in the Roman Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
Nerva
Nerva
Nerva , was Roman Emperor from 96 to 98. Nerva became Emperor at the age of sixty-five, after a lifetime of imperial service under Nero and the rulers of the Flavian dynasty. Under Nero, he was a member of the imperial entourage and played a vital part in exposing the Pisonian conspiracy of 65...
.
Career
Apart from his holding the ordinary consulship in 131 CE with Marcus Antonius Rufinus, nothing is known for certain about Pontianus' career.An inscription from Lucus Angitiae (modern Luco) that refers to a "... g ... Octav ... n ... ontianus" as being a member of the College of Pontiffs
College of Pontiffs
The College of Pontiffs or Collegium Pontificum was a body of the ancient Roman state whose members were the highest-ranking priests of the polytheistic state religion. The college consisted of the Pontifex Maximus, the Vestal Virgins, the Rex Sacrorum, and the flamines...
, might be about Pontianus.