Marcus Petreius(110 BC – April 46 BC) was aRomanpolitician and general. He was a client ofPompeyand like Pompey he came fromPicenuma region in eastern Italy. He cornered and killed the notorious rebelCatilineatPistoia.
Marcus Petreius | |
|---|---|
| Born | 110 BC Picenum, Italy |
| Died | April 46 BC (aged 64) Numidia, near Cirta (modernConstantine,Algeria) |
| Cause of death | Killed in duel |
| Nationality | Roman |
| Occupation | General |
| Office | Praetor (64 BC) Military Tribune Prefect Legate |
| Father | Gaius Petreius |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Roman Republic Sulla Pompey |
| Rank | Legate |
| Battles/wars | |
Career
editThe chronology of the early stages of Petreius’ career is unclear.[1]He was in any case the first in his family line to enter into theSenate.Sallustdescribes him as a military man, who in 62 BC already had a thirty-year-long career in the army asMilitary tribune,PrefectandLegatebehind him.[2]Petreius served at the latest in 64 BC as Praetor, although the exact year he took on this position is unknown.
Petreius first served underPompeius Straboduring theSocial War (91-87 BC).In 76–71 BC he served Pompey as a Legate in Spain fightingSertorius.In 63/62 BC he served as Legate under theConsulGaius Antonius Hybrida.He led the Senatorial forces in the victory over the revolutionaryLucius Sergius CatilinaatPistoriain early 62 BC, while Hybrida remained away from the battle with a foot ache.[3]DuringGaius Julius Caesar'sConsulship of 59 BC, Marcus Petreius allied himself with Caesar's bitter opponentMarcus Porcius Cato(the Younger).[4]
From 55 BC, Petreius andLucius Afraniusadministered the Spanish provinces as Legates, while the official governorGnaeus Pompeius Magnusremained in Rome.[5]After the outbreak of theCivil Warin 49 BC, Petreius and Afranius marched against Caesar, who for his part wished to secure Spain before moving against Pompey in Greece.[6]The two Legates suffered defeat after initial successes, and were forced to capitulate and disband their army on August 2 atIlerda.Caesar allowed Petreius and Afranius their freedom, and the two travelled to Greece to join Pompey's forces. After Pompey's defeat in theBattle of Pharsalus,Petreius and Cato fled from the Peloponnese to North Africa, where the former continued to serve as Legate in the resistance to Caesar.[7]Together with Titus Labienus, Petreius again achieved several successes against Caesar.[8]After the defeat of the Pompeians atThapsus,Petreius fled with theNumidianKing,Juba.[9]As they realized the hopelessness of their situation, Petreius and Juba resolved to take their lives on an estate nearZama:Petreius and Juba decided upon a duel, in which Petreius killed Juba. Petreius then killed himself with the help of a slave.[10]
References
edit- ^Marcus Petreius' father may have been theCenturionGnaeus Petreius Atinas, who in 102 BC saved aLegionfrom destruction by theCimbriand thereby received theGrass Crown(Pliny,naturalis historia22, 11).
- ^Sallust, Bellum Catilinae 59, 6: Homo militaris, quod amplius annos triginta tribunus aut praefectus aut legatus aut praetor cum magna gloria in exercitu fuerat.
- ^Sallust, Bellum Catilinae 59, 4–61.
- ^Cassius Dio38, 3, 2.
- ^Velleius Paterculus2, 48, 1.
- ^Caesar, de bello civili 1, 38–87.
- ^Cassius Dio43, 13, 3.
- ^Appian,Civil Wars 2, 95.
- ^Pseudo Caesar, de bello Africo 91, 1.
- ^Appian, Civil Wars 2, 100;Seneca,de providentia 2, 10; Pseudo Caesar,de bello Africo94 switches the roles of Petreius and Juba