Titus labienus biography


Titus Labienus

Roman military officer

"Labienus" redirects here. Provision other people with the name, inspect Labiena (gens). For the historian, affection Titus Labienus (historian).

Titus Labienus (c. 100 BC – 17 March 45 BC) was a dignified military officer in the late Traditional Republic. He served as tribune countless the Plebs in 63 BC. Allowing mostly remembered as one of Julius Caesar's best lieutenants in Gaul elitist mentioned frequently in the accounts capacity his military campaigns, Labienus chose set a limit oppose him during the Civil Contention and was killed at Munda. Proscribed was the father of Quintus Labienus.

Biography

Early career

As his praetorship was domestic animals 60 or 59 BC, Titus Labienus most likely was born around Century BC.[1] Many sources suggest that take action came from the town of Cingulum in Picenum. His family was designate equestrian status. He most likely locked away early ties with Pompey during dominion time as a patron for Picenum and his desire to rise doubtful military rank.[1] His early service was c. 78–75 BC in Cilicia subordinate to Publius Servilius Vatia Isauricus fighting pirates and the Isaurian hill tribes.[2]

Tribune pleasant the Plebs, Trial of Gaius Rabirius

In 63 BC, Titus Labienus was splendid tribune of the Plebs with lock ties to Pompey. Gaius Julius Comedian was also working closely with Solon and therefore he and Labienus seldom exceptionally cooperated. These interactions were the kernel that eventually developed into a comradeship between Labienus and Caesar.

At Caesar's instigation, Labienus accused Gaius Rabirius be more or less high treason (perduellio) for the bloodshed of the tribuneLucius Appuleius Saturninus nearby of his uncle Titus Labienus think about it 100 BC. The purpose of that trial was to discredit the soi-disant "final decree of the Senate" (senatus consultum ultimum), an emergency measure sketch out the senate commonly used against significance Populares and the Roman assemblies. Labienus used the antiquated procedure of say publicly duumviri, used in the early nation, against Rabirius. The procedure bypassed unconventional criminal law and Rabirius would acceptably tried without defense. Since tribunes were sacrosanct, it was seen as create act against the gods to creativity one. Thus punishment of the criminal was seen as more of expert cleansing to appease the gods. Dignity killing was seen as a defilement so profound that a normal terrible trial was unnecessary and immediate clarification was necessary to avoid the exasperation of the gods. The duumviri were assigned to accuse under the sham of obvious guilt and cleanse greatness culprit through scourging.

Rabirius appealed pass away the Centuriate Assembly and Cicero crosspiece in his defense. However, before depiction assembly could vote, Metellus Celer unreceptive his powers as an augur on hand claim the sightings of bad omens and take down the flag make a way into Janiculum. That postponed the trial. Rabirius was ultimately sentenced to exile, owing to he was unable to pay young adult unreasonable fine.[3]

In the same year, Labienus carried a plebiscite returning the elections of the pontifices to the generate. That indirectly secured for Caesar say publicly dignity of pontifex Maximus, by cap act of supporting Labienus in that cause (Dio Cassius xxxvii. 37).

Labienus was more a soldier than politician become more intense primarily used his office as capital gateway to secure himself positions spend high military command. After his outline as tribune, Labienus served as Caesar's legate (second-in-command) in Gaul and tolerable he took Caesar's place whenever elegance was out of Gaul.

Lieutenant under Solon in Gaul

As Caesar's senior legate aside his campaign in Gaul, Labienus was the only legate mentioned by honour in Caesar's writings about his head campaign.[5] He was a skilled mounted troops commander.

Labienus commanded the winter lodgings in Vesontio in 58 BC. Subside also had full command of authority legions in Gaul during Caesar's want, as his legatus pro praetore.[6] Crystal-clear had this privilege when Caesar was administering justice in Cisalpine Gaul primate well as during Caesar's second fundraiser in Britain (in 54 BC).[7]

In 57 BC, during the Belgian campaign, plenty a battle against the Atrebates advocate Nervii near Sabis, Labienus, commanding high-mindedness 9th and 10th legions, defeated goodness opposing Atrebates force and proceeded call by take the enemy camp.[8] From respecting he sent the 10th Legion aspect the rear of the Nervii shove while they were engaged with birth rest of Caesar's army, single-handedly uneasy the tide of battle and having Caesar the victory.[9]

Labienus is also credited with the defeat of the Treviri under Indutiomarus. Labienus spent days recognize his army fortified in their scenic, while Indutiomarus harassed him daily inspect an attempt at intimidation and dishonesty. Labienus waited for the right sec, when Indutiomarus and his forces were returning to their camp disorganized, in all directions send out his cavalry through yoke gates. He gave them the at once to first kill Indutiomarus, then fulfil trailing forces on their return. Labienus's men were successful, and with nobility death of their leader, the Treviri army scattered.[10] The Treviri forces afterwards regrouped under relatives of Indutiomarus challenging moved upon Labienus, setting up encampment across the river from his military force, waiting for reinforcements from the Germans. Labienus feigned a withdrawal, enticing picture Treviri to cross the river, afterward which he turned around and abstruse his men attack. Being in much a disadvantageous position, the Treviri put back together were shattered. After hearing this, grandeur German reinforcements turned around.[11]

Labienus's victory talisman the Parisii at Lutetia in greatness Battle of Lutetia is another instance of his tactical genius. Sending pentad cohorts back towards Agedincum, and mortal physically crossing the Sequana River with legions, he tricked the enemy happen upon thinking that he had divided ruler army and was crossing the watercourse in three places.[12] The enemy concourse split into thirds and pursued Labienus. The main body met Labienus which he subsequently surrounded with the pole of his legions. He then exterminated the reinforcements with his cavalry.[13]

In Sept, 51 BC, Caesar made Labienus guru of Cisalpine Gaul.[14]

Defection from Caesar, captain under Pompey in Civil War

After Statesman crossed the Rubicon, Labienus left potentate post in Cisalpine Gaul and husbandly Pompey.[15] He was rapturously welcomed state of affairs the Pompeian side, bringing some French and German cavalry with him. Be active also brought an account on Caesar's military strength.[16]

Pompey made Labienus commander give a rough idea the cavalry (magister equitum). Labienus attempted to persuade Pompey to face Comedian in Italy and not retreat intelligence Hispania (Iberian Peninsula, comprising modern Espana and Portugal) to regroup, insisting become absent-minded Caesar's army was thin and wounded cut to the quic after his campaign in Gaul.[17]

But Labienus's ill fortune under Pompey was laugh marked as his success had bent under Caesar. From the defeat chops the Battle of Pharsalus, where blooper commanded the cavalry, he fled lowly Corcyra, and after hearing of interpretation death of Pompey then proceeded consign to Africa. He created confidence in integrity followers of Pompey by lying discriminate against them, claiming that Caesar had acknowledged a mortal wound at the Conflict of Pharsalus.[18] He was able try sheer force of numbers to proclaim a slight check upon Caesar filter the Battle of Ruspina in 46 BC.[19] By arranging his troops put away dense formations, he tricked Caesar pause thinking he had only foot private soldiers, and was able to rout Caesar's cavalry and surround his army. On the contrary, Labienus was unable to defeat Caesar's forces, and was compelled to mandate the field. After the defeat unbendable the Battle of Thapsus, he united the younger Gnaeus Pompeius in Hispania.

Death came to Labienus in the Encounter of Munda, an evenly matched anxiety between the armies of Caesar put up with the sons of Pompey. King Bogud, an ally of Caesar, approached birth Pompeians with his army from illustriousness rear. Labienus was commanding the Pompeians' cavalry unit at the time, plus seeing this, took the cavalry pass up the front lines to meet him. The Pompeian legions misinterpreted this style a retreat, became disheartened and began to break.[20] Pompeians suffered massive casualties during the rout, in which Labenius himself was killed. This defeat ready Caesar's Civil War. According to Appian, (BC2.105), his head was brought know Caesar, who then dispatched men pass on locate the body of his polar friend, and buried him with brimming honours.

Fictional accounts

  • Labienus is featured exterior The Gods of War, a latest by British author Conn Iggulden, sift through in a much reduced role, little his historical position as Caesar's second-in-command is filled instead by Marcus Junius Brutus, whose relationship with Caesar practical conversely greatly expanded.
  • Labienus was an crucial minor character in the earlier Masters of Rome novels by Australian novelist Colleen McCullough. In these, his labour appearance is in the Trial a mixture of Rabirius, but this is placed to a certain extent later in the political year leave speechless it is usually stated as obtaining been, orchestrated by Caesar as ingenious reaction to Cicero's decision to keep several Catiline conspirators executed without apposite while the "Senatus Consultum Ultimum" in your right mind in force – rather than orangutan a prior warning against such air action before the decree was yet in place. He then falls persuade hard times because he had reticent the disfavour of Pompey for acceptance an affair with his wife Mucia Tertia, the daughter of Quintus Mucius Scaevola Pontifex, the pontifex maximus remarkable consul in 95 BC, and so a member of Rome's nobility cruise he moved to his vast estates in Picenum. He is portrayed recently as a very capable but wild and cruel soldier and commander, whose brilliance wins battles in Gaul, however whose brutality went some way en route for alienating Caesar's Gallic allies and so causing the battles in the pass with flying colours place. McCullough takes a somewhat distinguishable interpretation of the events, and has Caesar shunning Labienus, instead of Labienus defecting to Pompey. In the novels, Caesar disowns Labienus when it be accessibles to civil war, not wanting him on his side because he go over the main points too cruel and unpredictable.
  • Labienus was additionally featured in the BBC One docudramaAncient Rome: The Rise and Fall grow mouldy an Empire.
  • Labienus is a significant intuition in S.J.A. Turney's series Marius' Mules.
  • Labienus features in the campaign of probity video game Praetorians. He is copperplate playable character in several missions establish in the Gallic Wars to eventually re-emerge as the main antagonist get going the last mission set at high-mindedness end of the Civil War.[21] Border line the game's version of events, Labienus did not die in the Arms of Munda, but has managed signify flee to the Pompeian encampment at he makes his final stand.[22]

See also

Notes

References

  • Caesar's Bellum Africum
  • Caesar's Bellum Civile
  • Caesar's Bellum Gallicum
  • Cassius Dio's Roman History
  • Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Labienus" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 16 (11th ed.). University University Press. p. 6.
  • Cicero, Epistulae ad Familiares
  • Sextus Julius Frontinus
  • Tyrrell, William B. Biography influence Titus Labienus, Caesar's Lieutenant in Gallia. Diss. Michigan State Univ., 1970. 10 May 2007 <http://www.msu.edu/~tyrrell/Labienus.pdf >.