Aulus Gabinius

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For other people named Aulus Gabinius, see Gabinia gens.
Aulus Gabinius
Bornc. 101 BC
Diedc. 47 BC
Salona, Dalmatia
NationalityRoman Republic
OfficeTribune of the plebs (67 BC)
Consul (58 BC)
Governor of Roman Syria

Aulus Gabinius (by 101 BC – 48 or 47 BC) was a politician and general of the Roman Republic. He had an important career, culminating with a consulship in 58 BC, mainly thanks to the patronage of Pompey.[1] His name is mostly associated with the lex Gabinia, a law he passed as tribune of the plebs in 67 BC that granted Pompey an extraordinary command in the Mediterranean Sea to fight the pirates.

Career

Coin issued under Gabinius in Syria

In 67 BC, as a

Pirates of the Mediterranean, with extensive powers that gave him absolute control over the sea and the coasts for 50 miles inland. Through Gabinius' two other measures, loans of money to foreign ambassadors in Rome were made actionable (as a check on the corruption of the Senate) and the Senate
was ordered to give audiences to foreign envoys on certain fixed days (February 1-March 1) each year.

During the Third Mithridatic War Gabinius served Pompey as a legate. In 65 BC, he marched with two legions into Northern Mesopotamia to pressure the Parthian king, Phraates III into a treaty with Pompey. [2]

In 61 BC, as

Syria as his proconsular
province.

In 57 BC, Gabinius started his term as governor of Syria. Shortly after his arrival he marched his army south into Judaea, defeated the army of Alexander, Hyrcanus II's nephew, in a battle near Jeruzalem, and reinstated Hyrcanus II as high-priest of Jerusalem,[3] He suppressed revolts, introduced important changes in the government of Judaea and rebuilt several towns.[4] He also supported Mithridates IV in his struggle against his brother Orodes but abandoned Mithridates when the more lucrative offer of restoring Ptolemy XII Auletes to the Egyptian throne reached him.

In 55 BC, Pompey convinced Gabinius to march to Egypt to restore Ptolemy XII to his throne. Gabinius did so without the consent of the Senate. He succeeded after a short successful campaign, in which he was supported by the young cavalry officer Mark Antony. He left some of his troops, the so-called Gabiniani, in Egypt to protect Ptolemy XII. These Gabiniani fought against rebellious subjects of the king and later, after the king's death, against Gaius Julius Caesar.

During Gabinius's time in Egypt,

Roman equites (knights), who as tax collectors
had suffered heavy losses during the disturbances in Syria, were greatly embittered against Gabinius, and, when he appeared in the Senate to give an account of his governorship, he was brought to trial on three counts, all involving a capital offence.

On the charge of maiestas (

repetundae (extortion during the administration of his province), with special reference to the 10,000 talents paid by Ptolemy XII for his restoration, he was found guilty, in spite of evidence offered on his behalf by Pompey and witnesses from Alexandria
and the eloquence of Cicero, who had been induced to plead his cause. Nothing but Cicero's wish to do a favour to Pompey could have induced him to take on the task. Commentators hint that the half-heartedness of Cicero's defence contributed to Gabinius's condemnation. The third charge, that of ambitus (illegalities committed during his canvassing for the consulship), was consequently dropped. Gabinius went into exile and his property was confiscated.

After the outbreak of

Civil War in 49 BC, Gabinius was recalled by Gaius Julius Caesar and entered his service, but took no active part against his old patron, Pompey. After the Battle of Pharsalus, he was commissioned to transport some recently levied troops to Illyricum. On his way overland, he was attacked by the Dalmatians and with difficulty made his way to Salona
. There Gabinius defended himself against the attacks of the Pompeian commander, Marcus Octavius, but a few months later died of illness (48 BC or the beginning of 47 BC).

Marriage and children

Gabinius married a Roman noblewoman called

Lollia gens, perhaps a daughter of Marcus Lollius Palicanus, tribune of the plebs in 71 BC. Lollia bore him a son called Aulus Gabinius Sisenna.[6]

References

  1. ^  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Gabinius, Aulus". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
  2. ^ John Leach, Pompey the Great.
  3. The Wars of the Jews
    i. 8.
  4. Dora, Gaza
    Azotus and many other towns were re-established, each attracting an influx of eager colonists."
  5. ^ Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus, De Vita Caesarum, Caesar, 50.
  6. ^ Aulus Gabinius Sisenna article at ancient library Archived September 27, 2013, at the Wayback Machine

Sources

  • Cassius Dio xxxvi. 23–36, xxxviii. 13. 30, xxxix. 55-63
  • Plutarch, Pompey, 25. 48
  • Josephus, Antiq. xiv. 4-6
  • Appian, Illyrica, 12, Bell. Civ. ii. 24. 59
  • Cicero, ad Atti. vi. 2, ad Q. Fratrem, ii. 13, Post reditum in senatu, 4–8, Pro lege Manilia, 17, 18, 19
  • exhaustive article by Bähr in Ersch and Gruber's Allgemeine Encyclopädie
  • Giuseppe Stocchi, Aulo Gabinio e i suoi processi (1892)
Political offices
Preceded by
Roman consul
58 BC
With: Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus
 Succeeded by
Preceded by Governor of Syria
57–54 BC 		Succeeded by
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