Mamurra

Mamurra
Mamurra
Known for	Officer of Julius Caesar

Mamurra (fl. 1st century BC) was a Roman military officer who served under Julius Caesar.

Biography

Early life

Possibly named Marcus Vitruvius Mamurra (if we follow Thielscher's 1969 suggestion based on an inscription in

equestrian who originally came from the Italian city of Formiae.^[1] His family must have been prominent there, as Horace calls it "the city of the Mamurrae".^[2]

His large villa-estate of Gianola is traditionally that which can still be seen near Formia.

Military career

He served as praefectus fabrum (

circumvallation of Alesia in 52 BC.^[6]

Mamurra's military service, and his patronage by Caesar, made him extremely rich.

vulgar word for the penis) and accusing him of having a homosexual relationship with Caesar.^[3]^[8] This was regarded as a "lasting stain" on Caesar's character, but Catullus later apologised, and was immediately invited to dinner by Caesar.^[9] Catullus also refers in unflattering terms to Ameana, the mistress of "the bankrupt of Formiae", usually taken to mean Mamurra.^[10]

Later

A letter of Cicero of 45 BC refers to Caesar giving no visible reaction when he heard news of Mamurra, which has been interpreted by some as referring to his death,^[11] although the reference is too ambiguous to be certain.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Pliny the Elder, Natural History 36.7
^ Horace, Satires 1.5
^ ^a ^b ^c Catullus, Carmina 29
^ Julius Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Gallico 4.17-19
^ Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Gallico 5.1
^ Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Gallico 7.68-74
^ Cicero, Letters to Atticus 7.7
^ Catullus, Carmina 57
^ Suetonius, Julius Caesar 73
^ Catullus, Carmina 41, 43
^ Cicero, Letters to Atticus 13.52

External links

Catullus poem

[pliny-1] Pliny the Elder, Natural History 36.7

[2] Horace, Satires 1.5

[catullus29-3] Catullus, Carmina 29

[4] Julius Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Gallico 4.17-19

[5] Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Gallico 5.1

[6] Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Gallico 7.68-74

[7] Cicero, Letters to Atticus 7.7

[8] Catullus, Carmina 57

[9] Suetonius, Julius Caesar 73

[10] Catullus, Carmina 41, 43

[11] Cicero, Letters to Atticus 13.52

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