Lucius Gellius

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Lucius Gellius Publicola
(died probably 2 September 31 BC,was consul in 36 BC).

Lucius Gellius

Consuls of the Republic in 72 BC along with Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus Clodianus. A supporter of Pompey, he is noted for being one of the consular generals who led Roman legions against the slave armies of Spartacus in the Third Servile War
.

Early Career and the Third Servile War

The first member of the Gellii to achieve the consulate, at an early age Lucius was attached to

propraetor to the province of Asia in the following year.[5]

In 89 BC, Gellius was a senior

Gaius Verres in Sicily.[8]

However, the major event of his consulship was the revolt of Spartacus and the eruption of the Third Servile War. Having won a number of victories against ill-prepared Roman forces, the Senate now recognised Spartacus as a serious threat and sent both the consuls to confront the slave armies at the head of four legions.[9] Initially successful, Gellius defeated Crixus and 30,000 rebel slaves at Mount Garganus near Apulia, then moved northwards behind Spartacus's forces which were moving north. With Clodianus barring Spartacus in the north, they hoped to catch the rebels between the two armies. Spartacus' slave army destroyed Clodianus' legions, and then turned and defeated the oncoming legions of Gellius.[10] Gathering their shattered forces, both consuls gave chase but were once again defeated at a battle near Picenum.[11]

Humiliated by these defeats, shortly afterward, in early autumn, Gellius and Clodianus were withdrawn as commanders by the

Princeps Senatus.[15]

Later career

By 67 BC, Gellius was serving as a legate with praetorian imperium under Pompey, who had received an extraordinary command to rid the Mediterranean Sea of pirates. Gellius was given charge of the Italian coast off Tuscany.[16] Although Pompey soon headed to the East, Gellius retained command of the fleet near Italy until 63 BC.[17]

Returning to Rome, he gave his support to

Optimates, in 59 BC speaking in opposition of Julius Caesar’s agrarian law, while in 57 BC he spoke in support of Cicero's return from exile.[19]

Gellius was still alive in 55 BC when Cicero delivered his speech against

Lucius Gellius Publicola
, consul in 36 BC.

See also

References

  1. JSTOR 43768532; entry in Oxford Classical Dictionary
  2. ^ a b Oxford Classical Dictionary, "Gellius, Lucius"
  3. ^ Anthon & Smith, pg. 724
  4. ^ Broughton, pg. 9
  5. ^ Broughton, pg. 14
  6. ^ Broughton, pg. 35
  7. ^ Syme, pg. 66
  8. ^ Broughton, pg. 115
  9. ^ Holmes, pgs. 157-158
  10. ^ Holmes, pg. 158
  11. ^ Holmes, pgs. 386-387; Broughton, pg. 115
  12. ^ Holmes, pg. 159; Broughton, pg. 115
  13. ^ Anthon & Smith, pg. 724
  14. ^ Broughton, pg. 125; Syme, pg. 66
  15. ^ Broughton, pg. 125
  16. ^ Broughton, pg. 147; Anthon & Smith, pg. 724
  17. ^ Broughton, pg. 169
  18. ^ Anthon & Smith, pg. 724; Holmes, pg. 282
  19. ^ Anthon & Smith, pg. 724
  20. ^ Anthon & Smith, pg. 724

Sources

  • T. Robert S. Broughton, The Magistrates of the Roman Republic, Vol II (1952).
  • Holmes, T. Rice, The Roman Republic and the Founder of the Empire, Vol. I (1923)
  • Syme, Ronald, The Roman Revolution, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1939.
  • Anthon, Charles & Smith, William, A New Classical Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography, Mythology and Geography (1860).
Political offices
Preceded by Consul of Rome
72 BC
With: Gn. Cornelius Lentulus Clodianus 		Succeeded by
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