Aulus Didius Gallus was a member of the

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

and general active during the 1st century AD. He held a number of offices and imperial appointments, the most important of which were governor of

Britain Britain most often refers to: * Great Britain, a large island comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales * The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state in Europe comprising Great Britain and the north-eas ...

between 52 and 57 AD,

proconsul A proconsul was an official of ancient Rome who acted on behalf of a Roman consul, consul. A proconsul was typically a former consul. The term is also used in recent history for officials with delegated authority. In the Roman Republic, military ...

Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...

, and

suffect consul The consuls were the highest elected public officials of the Roman Republic ( to 27 BC). Romans considered the consulship the second-highest level of the ''cursus honorum''an ascending sequence of public offices to which politicians aspire ...

in the '' nundinium'' of September to December 39 as the colleague of

Domitius Afer Gnaeus Domitius Afer (died 59) was a Roman orator and advocate, born at Nemausus (Nîmes) in Gallia Narbonensis. He flourished in the reigns of Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero. He was suffect consul in the '' nundinium'' of September to De ...

Career

According to

Anthony Birley Anthony Richard Birley (8 October 1937 – 19 December 2020) was a British ancient historian, archaeologist and academic. He was one of the leaders of excavations at of the Roman fortress at Vindolanda and also published several books on Roman ...

, Aulus Didius Gallus was considered a '' novus homo'', "if not necessarily the first of his family to enter the senate."Birley, ''The Fasti of Roman Britain'' (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1981), p. 45 A proconsul of

Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...

, Aulus Didius Postumus, might be a close relative. His career up to 51 can be partly reconstructed from an inscription from Olympia. Didius is attested as

quaestor A quaestor ( , ; ; "investigator") was a public official in ancient Rome. There were various types of quaestors, with the title used to describe greatly different offices at different times. In the Roman Republic, quaestors were elected officia ...

in a ''

senatus consultum A (Latin: decree of the senate, plural: ) is a text emanating from the senate in Ancient Rome. It is used in the modern phrase '' senatus consultum ultimum''. Translated into French as , the term was also used during the French Consulate, the ...

'' dated to AD 19, that forbade Senators, eques, and their descendants from actively participating in

gladiator A gladiator ( , ) was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their ...

games. Birley notes that if this inscription has been correctly restored, "he had the signal honour, for a new man, of being quaestor of Tiberius." Further, if he achieved this magistrate at the normal age of 25, Gallus would have been born around 8/7 BC. Record of his tenure as

plebeian tribune Tribune of the plebs, tribune of the people or plebeian tribune () was the first office of the Roman state that was open to the plebeians, and was, throughout the history of the Republic, the most important check on the power of the Roman Senate ...

and

aedile Aedile ( , , from , "temple edifice") was an elected office of the Roman Republic. Based in Rome, the aediles were responsible for maintenance of public buildings () and regulation of public festivals. They also had powers to enforce public orde ...

are missing from the inscription, while the next magistracies whose record survive on the inscription are legate or assistant to the

, and prefect of cavalry. Birley admits that while "it would be fruitless to speculate on the identity of the proconsul of Asia under whom Gallus served" he observes that during this period only two men were proconsuls when he could have been their legate: Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, ordinary consul AD 6, and Publius Petronius, consul 17, "making it probable that it was one of these two." As for his commission as prefect of cavalry, while Birley notes it has been thought he held it during the invasion of Britain, he argues it is more likely Didius commanded the cavalry as part of a campaign in

Thrace Thrace (, ; ; ; ) is a geographical and historical region in Southeast Europe roughly corresponding to the province of Thrace in the Roman Empire. Bounded by the Balkan Mountains to the north, the Aegean Sea to the south, and the Black Se ...

"for it would satisfactorily explain the choice of Gallus to command the Moesian army ''c''. 44-5."Birley, ''Fasti'', p. 47 After these two magistracies, Didius was proconsul of

Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...

, which fell during the reign of

Tiberius Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus ( ; 16 November 42 BC – 16 March AD 37) was Roman emperor from AD 14 until 37. He succeeded his stepfather Augustus, the first Roman emperor. Tiberius was born in Rome in 42 BC to Roman politician Tiberius Cl ...

; "given Tiberius' practice," Birley comments, his governorship of Sicily "may have lasted more than twelve months". Didius was '' curator aquarum'' (superintendent of aqueducts) from 38 to 49,

consul Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states thro ...

in 39, and a member of the '' septemviri epulonum'', one of the four most prestigious ancient Roman priesthoods. Birley notes the later "would have had special prominence at the Secular Games in AD 47." Didius received triumphal regalia as an imperial legate under

Claudius Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; ; 1 August 10 BC – 13 October AD 54), or Claudius, was a Roman emperor, ruling from AD 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, Claudius was born to Nero Claudius Drusus, Drusus and Ant ...

, probably in

Bosporus The Bosporus or Bosphorus Strait ( ; , colloquially ) is a natural strait and an internationally significant waterway located in Istanbul, Turkey. The Bosporus connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara and forms one of the continental bo ...

Tacitus Publius Cornelius Tacitus, known simply as Tacitus ( , ; – ), was a Roman historian and politician. Tacitus is widely regarded as one of the greatest Roman historians by modern scholars. Tacitus’ two major historical works, ''Annals'' ( ...

records that he commanded forces there that were withdrawn in 49. After this the

sortition In governance, sortition is the selection of public officer, officials or jurors at random, i.e. by Lottery (probability), lottery, in order to obtain a representative sample. In ancient Athenian democracy, sortition was the traditional and pr ...

awarded him the post of proconsular governor of Asia, which

Ronald Syme Sir Ronald Syme, (11 March 1903 – 4 September 1989) was a New Zealand-born historian and classicist. He was regarded as the greatest historian of ancient Rome since Theodor Mommsen and the most brilliant exponent of the history of the Roma ...

dates to 49/50. His later career is described by Tacitus. In 52 Didius was made governor of

, following the death in office of Ostorius Scapula, at a time when the situation was deteriorating as a result of a string of rebellions. The south-east was securely held, but despite the defeat of

Caratacus Caratacus was a 1st-century AD British chieftain of the Catuvellauni tribe, who resisted the Roman conquest of Britain. Before the Roman invasion, Caratacus is associated with the expansion of his tribe's territory. His apparent success led ...

the previous year, the tribes of what is now

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

, particularly the

Silures The Silures ( , ) were a powerful and warlike tribe or tribal confederation of ancient Britain, occupying what is now south east Wales and perhaps some adjoining areas. They were bordered to the north by the Ordovices; to the east by the Do ...

, continued to hold out.

Venutius Venutius was a 1st-century king of the Brigantes in northern Britain at the time of the Roman conquest. Some have suggested he may have belonged to the Carvetii, a tribe that probably formed part of the Brigantes confederation. History firs ...

' first insurrection against Queen

Cartimandua Cartimandua or Cartismandua (reigned ) was a 1st-century queen of the Brigantes, a Celtic people living in what is now northern England. She is known through the writings of Roman historian Tacitus. She came to power during the time period that ...

of the

Brigantes The Brigantes were Ancient Britons who in pre-Roman times controlled the largest section of what would become Northern England. Their territory, often referred to as Brigantia, was centred in what was later known as Yorkshire. The Greek geog ...

occurred during Didius' rule and he despatched troops under Caesius Nasica to aid her. Didius acted to quell the rebels rather than enlarge the empire during his rule, which lasted until AD 57. While

criticizes him for being reactive and defensive,

Sheppard Frere Sheppard Sunderland Frere, CBE, FSA, FBA (23 August 1916 – 26 February 2015) was a British historian and archaeologist who studied the Roman Empire. He was a fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. Biography The son of Noel Gray Frere, of the ...

argues that he was acting on instructions from Claudius who did not consider the benefits of further conquest in difficult terrain to be great enough to warrant the risk. "Provincial legates were carefully selected with an eye to what was to be required of them," Frere writes, "and will have received careful briefing on appointment; and throughout their tenure they were in close contact with Rome." Instead, Didius built roads and forts at the borders such as those at Usk to contain the native population. After five years in the post, covering the last two years of the reign of

and the first three of

Nero Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68) was a Roman emperor and the final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 until his ...

, Didius was replaced by Quintus Veranius.

Quintilian Marcus Fabius Quintilianus (; 35 – 100 AD) was a Roman educator and rhetorician born in Hispania, widely referred to in medieval schools of rhetoric and in Renaissance writing. In English translation, he is usually referred to as Quin ...

tells us that, after several years of campaigning for a provincial governorship, Didius complained at the province he was offered, although whether this refers to Sicily or Britain is unknown.Quintilian, ''

Institutio Oratoria ''Institutio Oratoria'' ( English: Institutes of Oratory) is a twelve-volume textbook on the theory and practice of rhetoric by Roman rhetorician Quintilian. It was published around year 95 AD. The work deals also with the foundational education ...

'', VI.3.68. The orator

sarcastically advised him to think of his country. The tombstone of his successor, Quintus Veranius, states that he took the job "although he did not seek it", which has been interpreted as a barbed comment on Didius.

Eponym of Cardiff

The modern city of

Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...

is often stated to be named for Didius. The earliest Welsh name for the city, ''Caerdyf'' combines the elements Caer (fort) which refers to the Roman fort established around 75 AD, and a second element which is less certain. The antiquarian

William Camden William Camden (2 May 1551 – 9 November 1623) was an English antiquarian, historian, topographer, and herald, best known as author of ''Britannia'', the first chorographical survey of the islands of Great Britain and Ireland that relates la ...

recorded the origin of the name as "Caer-Didi" (Didius' Fort). This derives from local beliefs that Didius had built the fort before the arrival of

Frontinus Sextus Julius Frontinus (c. 40 – 103 AD) was a Roman civil engineer, author, soldier and senator of the late 1st century AD. He was a successful general under Domitian, commanding forces in Roman Britain, and on the Rhine and Danube frontier ...

in Britain and his construction of numerous supplementary fortifications in South Wales. Though most modern linguists dismiss this derivation, the Didius connection has remained popular throughout the centuries, appearing in Camden's ''Britannia'' (1586), '' The Beauties of England and Wales'' (1815), and the writings of

Iolo Morganwg Edward Williams, better known by his bardic name Iolo Morganwg (; 10March 174718December 1826), was a Welsh antiquarian, poet and collector.Jones, Mary (2004)"Edward Williams/Iolo Morganwg/Iolo Morgannwg" From ''Jones' Celtic Encyclopedia''. R ...

and Taliesin Williams.

Relatives

Whom Didius married, or whether he had married at all, is unknown. From his name, experts believe that Aulus Didius Gallus Fabricius Veiento, who was

praetor ''Praetor'' ( , ), also ''pretor'', was the title granted by the government of ancient Rome to a man acting in one of two official capacities: (i) the commander of an army, and (ii) as an elected ''magistratus'' (magistrate), assigned to disch ...

in 62, is somehow related to Didius. Some, such as Edmund Groag and Mario Torelli, thought that Veiento was his son or grandson. Olli Salomies has shown that it is more likely that Veiento was adopted by Didius Gallus, at some point before Veiento became praetor. Anthony Birley mentions a "less certain" relative, Gaius Pomponius Gallus Didius Rufus, proconsul of

Crete and Cyrenaica Crete and Cyrenaica (, ) was a senatorial province of the Roman Republic and later the Roman Empire, established in 67 BC, which included the island of Crete and the region of Cyrenaica in modern-day Libya. These areas were settled by Greek colon ...

in 88/89.Birley, ''Fasti'', p. 49

References

Primary sources

''On the Water Supply of Rome'' 2:102.7
*

, ''

Agricola Agricola, the Latin word for farmer, may also refer to: People Cognomen or given name :''In chronological order'' * Gnaeus Julius Agricola (40–93), Roman governor of Britannia (AD 77–85) * Sextus Calpurnius Agricola, Roman governor of the m ...

'
14
''

Annals Annals (, from , "year") are a concise history, historical record in which events are arranged chronology, chronologically, year by year, although the term is also used loosely for any historical record. Scope The nature of the distinction betw ...

'
12:1512:4014:29
*

, ''Institutio Oratoria'
Book 6, 3:68

Secondary sources

* *

Citations

External links

Aulus Didius Gallus
a
Roman-Britain.co.uk
{{DEFAULTSORT:Didius Gallus, Aulus Roman governors of Sicily Suffect consuls of Imperial Rome Roman governors of Britain Ancient Romans in Britain Ancient Roman generals 1st-century Romans Gallus, Aulus