Gaius Sosius
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Gaius Sosius ( 39–17 BC) was a Roman general and politician who featured in the wars of the late
Republic A republic, based on the Latin phrase ''res publica'' ('public affair' or 'people's affair'), is a State (polity), state in which Power (social and political), political power rests with the public (people), typically through their Representat ...
as a staunch supporter of
Mark Antony Marcus Antonius (14 January 1 August 30 BC), commonly known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman people, Roman politician and general who played a critical role in the Crisis of the Roman Republic, transformation of the Roman Republic ...
. Under the latter's patronage he held important state offices and military commands, serving as governor of
Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
and leading the expedition to install Herod as king of
Judea Judea or Judaea (; ; , ; ) is a mountainous region of the Levant. Traditionally dominated by the city of Jerusalem, it is now part of Palestine and Israel. The name's usage is historic, having been used in antiquity and still into the pres ...
. Sosius was
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 the year 32 BC, when the
Second Triumvirate The Second Triumvirate was an extraordinary commission and magistracy created at the end of the Roman republic for Mark Antony, Lepidus, and Octavian to give them practically absolute power. It was formally constituted by law on 27 November ...
lapsed and open conflict erupted between the triumvirs Antony and
Octavian Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in ...
. Upon taking office, Sosius opposed Octavian in the
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 ...
, for which he was forced to flee
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
. Joining Antony in the
Eastern Mediterranean The Eastern Mediterranean is a loosely delimited region comprising the easternmost portion of the Mediterranean Sea, and well as the adjoining land—often defined as the countries around the Levantine Sea. It includes the southern half of Turkey ...
, Sosius became one of his lieutenants in the ensuing
civil war A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
. He commanded part of the fleet of Antony and
Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator (; The name Cleopatra is pronounced , or sometimes in both British and American English, see and respectively. Her name was pronounced in the Greek dialect of Egypt (see Koine Greek phonology). She was ...
at the
battle of Actium The Battle of Actium was a naval battle fought between Octavian's maritime fleet, led by Marcus Agrippa, and the combined fleets of both Mark Antony and Cleopatra. The battle took place on 2 September 31 BC in the Ionian Sea, near the former R ...
in 31 BC, following which he was taken captive. Receiving a pardon, he was later rehabilitated and enrolled into a college of priests by the emperor
Augustus Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...
. Sosius oversaw the rebuilding of the temple of Apollo Sosianus in Rome, which came to be named after him, and appears to have acquired significant wealth. He may have lived late into Augustus's reign.


Life


Early career

Gaius Sosius was likely of Picentine background, and his father, also called Gaius Sosius, was the first recorded
Roman senator The Roman Senate () was the highest and Roman constitution, constituting assembly of ancient Rome and its aristocracy. With different powers throughout its existence it lasted from the first days of the Rome, city of Rome (traditionally founded ...
of the family. He came to prominence during the time of the
Second Triumvirate The Second Triumvirate was an extraordinary commission and magistracy created at the end of the Roman republic for Mark Antony, Lepidus, and Octavian to give them practically absolute power. It was formally constituted by law on 27 November ...
(43–32 BC) in service of the triumvir
Mark Antony Marcus Antonius (14 January 1 August 30 BC), commonly known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman people, Roman politician and general who played a critical role in the Crisis of the Roman Republic, transformation of the Roman Republic ...
, of whom he became a devoted supporter. Sosius served as Antony's
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 ...
(treasurer) sometime between 41 and 39 BC, and in that capacity was stationed at a Roman naval base and
mint Mint or The Mint may refer to: Plants * Lamiaceae, the mint family ** ''Mentha'', the genus of plants commonly known as "mint" Coins and collectibles * Mint (facility), a facility for manufacturing coins * Mint condition, a state of like-new ...
in
Zacynthus Zakynthos (also spelled Zakinthos; ; ) or Zante (, , ; ; from the Venetian form, traditionally Latinized as Zacynthus) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the third largest of the Ionian Islands, with an area of , and a coastline ...
, one of the
Ionian islands The Ionian Islands (Modern Greek: , ; Ancient Greek, Katharevousa: , ) are a archipelago, group of islands in the Ionian Sea, west of mainland Greece. They are traditionally called the Heptanese ("Seven Islands"; , ''Heptanēsa'' or , ''Heptanē ...
west of the
Peloponnese The Peloponnese ( ), Peloponnesus ( ; , ) or Morea (; ) is a peninsula and geographic region in Southern Greece, and the southernmost region of the Balkans. It is connected to the central part of the country by the Isthmus of Corinth land bridg ...
. In 39 BC, the triumvirs designated him to the office of
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 ...
for 32 BC. Sosius then accompanied Antony on an administrative tour of the eastern Roman provinces in 38 BC and was appointed by him governor of
Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
and
Cilicia Cilicia () is a geographical region in southern Anatolia, extending inland from the northeastern coasts of the Mediterranean Sea. Cilicia has a population ranging over six million, concentrated mostly at the Cilician plain (). The region inclu ...
. In this new capacity, he subdued the intransigent island city of Aradus in northern
Phoenicia Phoenicians were an Ancient Semitic-speaking peoples, ancient Semitic group of people who lived in the Phoenician city-states along a coastal strip in the Levant region of the eastern Mediterranean, primarily modern Lebanon and the Syria, Syrian ...
, and, at Antony's command, installed Rome's ally Herod as king of the Jews by besieging the incumbent Antigonus at
Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
. Upon completion of the siege, Sosius was acclaimed as ''
imperator The title of ''imperator'' ( ) originally meant the rough equivalent of ''commander'' under the Roman Republic. Later, it became a part of the titulature of the Roman Emperors as their praenomen. The Roman emperors generally based their autho ...
'' by his troops. According to
Josephus Flavius Josephus (; , ; ), born Yosef ben Mattityahu (), was a Roman–Jewish historian and military leader. Best known for writing '' The Jewish War'', he was born in Jerusalem—then part of the Roman province of Judea—to a father of pr ...
, Sosius 'humiliated' the captured Antigonus and was only stopped from fully looting the city after Herod interceded with large gifts to him and the troops. Towards the end of 36 BC, Sosius was probably in
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. ...
assisting the other triumvir,
Octavian Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in ...
, in completing the conquest of the island from
Sextus Pompeius Sextus Pompeius Magnus Pius ( 67 – 35 BC), also known in English as Sextus Pompey, was a Roman military leader who, throughout his life, upheld the cause of his father, Pompey the Great, against Julius Caesar and his supporters during the la ...
. Replaced by Antony as governor in 35 BC, Sosius returned to Rome and on 3 September 34 BC celebrated a triumph for his victory in
Judaea Judea or Judaea (; ; , ; ) is a mountainous region of the Levant. Traditionally dominated by the city of Jerusalem, it is now part of Palestine and Israel. The name's usage is historic, having been used in antiquity and still into the prese ...
. Thereafter, he seems to have remained in the city, looking after Antony's interests while awaiting his own consulship in 32 BC. Probably to further commemorate his triumph, Sosius also began rebuilding the temple of Apollo in the
Campus Martius The Campus Martius (Latin for 'Field of Mars'; Italian: ''Campo Marzio'') was a publicly owned area of ancient Rome about in extent. In the Middle Ages, it was the most populous area of Rome. The IV rione of Rome, Campo Marzio, which covers ...
, adding a cedar statue of
Apollo Apollo is one of the Twelve Olympians, Olympian deities in Ancient Greek religion, ancient Greek and Ancient Roman religion, Roman religion and Greek mythology, Greek and Roman mythology. Apollo has been recognized as a god of archery, mu ...
which he plundered from Seleucia in Cilicia back when he was governor.


Consulship and civil war

Gaius Sosius assumed the consulship in 32 BC just as the
Second Triumvirate The Second Triumvirate was an extraordinary commission and magistracy created at the end of the Roman republic for Mark Antony, Lepidus, and Octavian to give them practically absolute power. It was formally constituted by law on 27 November ...
, which had ruled Rome for the last decade, was about to legally expire and relations between the triumvirs Antony and Octavian collapsed. Sosius and his colleague in office, Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, were both partisans of Antony; they brought from him a despatch seeking the official ratification of land grants in the east for his children with the
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
ian queen
Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator (; The name Cleopatra is pronounced , or sometimes in both British and American English, see and respectively. Her name was pronounced in the Greek dialect of Egypt (see Koine Greek phonology). She was ...
, the so-called
Donations of Alexandria The Donations of Alexandria (autumn 34 BC) was a political act by Cleopatra VII and Mark Antony in which they distributed lands held by Rome and Parthia among Cleopatra's children and gave them many titles, especially for Caesarion, the son of ...
, as well as a proposal for the triumvirs to resign their dictatorial powers. The consuls never published the despatch, however, as they apparently feared that the Donations would be unpopular, and Octavian also pressured them to censor any content unfavorable to himself. Instead, upon entering office, Sosius took the lead with a speech to the Senate in which he praised Antony and openly denounced Octavian. He also introduced a formal motion against the latter, but this was promptly vetoed by a
tribune of the plebs Tribune of the plebs, tribune of the people or plebeian tribune () was the first office of the Roman Republic, Roman state that was open to the plebs, plebeians, and was, throughout the history of the Republic, the most important check on the pow ...
. In response, Octavian reconvened the Senate with armed men on the outside, denounced Sosius and Antony, and promised to produce evidence that would incriminate the latter. The consuls and other sympathetic senators fled the city to join Antony and Cleopatra at
Ephesus Ephesus (; ; ; may ultimately derive from ) was an Ancient Greece, ancient Greek city on the coast of Ionia, in present-day Selçuk in İzmir Province, Turkey. It was built in the 10th century BC on the site of Apasa, the former Arzawan capital ...
, effectively creating their own makeshift Senate in opposition to the one at Rome. Back in the capital, Sosius, Domitius and Antony were all promptly stripped of office and war was declared on Cleopatra's Egypt. Sosius was one of Antony's chief lieutenants in the ensuing war, and one of few known senators of consular rank to remain loyal as the Antonian cause grew increasingly precarious. In the summer of 31 BC, Sosius, under cover of fog, routed a squadron of Octavian's fleet led by Lucius Tarius Rufus, but was then driven back by enemy reinforcements under Marcus Agrippa, which cost him the victory and the life of his ally, King Tarcondimotus of
Cilicia Cilicia () is a geographical region in southern Anatolia, extending inland from the northeastern coasts of the Mediterranean Sea. Cilicia has a population ranging over six million, concentrated mostly at the Cilician plain (). The region inclu ...
. He commanded the left wing of Antony's fleet in the defeat at Actium, following which Antony and Cleopatra fled and committed suicide. Sosius survived the defeat and spent time in hiding, but was eventually detected and brought before Octavian, who pardoned him at the intercession of one of his own admirals at Actium, Lucius Arruntius. Historian Ronald Syme, however, has speculated that Sosius might instead have betrayed Antony's fleet and that "his osius'peril and rescue may have been artfully staged" to advertise Octavian's clemency.


Later life

Sosius is not known to have undertaken further military service in his life after Actium. He returned to Rome and completed his reconstruction of the temple of Apollo, which became known as Sosianus after him. According to classicist Michael Grant, Sosius accumulated considerable wealth as a successful financier. Octavian, later renamed the emperor
Augustus Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...
, fully rehabilitated Sosius and gave him a place in the imperial regime, appointing him one of the priestly ''
quindecimviri sacris faciundis In ancient Rome, the were the fifteen () members of a college (''collegium'') with priestly duties. They guarded the Sibylline Books, scriptures which they consulted and interpreted at the request of the Senate. This ''collegium'' also oversaw ...
'' who supervised the Saecular Games in 17 BC. Sosius only appears again in history as an attendee to the prosecution of a teacher of rhetoric named Corvus, an event dated by Frederick Cramer to AD 6. Gaius Sosius is not known to have had sons, but at least one daughter is attested, Sosia, who married Sextus Nonius Quinctilianus, consul in AD 8. Possibly a second daughter was Sosia Galla, wife of the consul Gaius Silius.Gaius Stern, ''Women Children and Senators on the Ara Pacis Augustae'', University of California Berkeley dissertation 2006, page 353, n.88


Citations


References

* * * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sosius, Gaius 1st-century BC Roman governors of Syria 1st-century BC Roman consuls 1st-century BC clergy Ancient Roman generals Priests from the Roman Empire Quindecimviri sacris faciundis Recipients of ancient Roman pardons Roman governors of Cilicia Roman quaestors Roman Republican consuls Ancient Roman triumphators
Gaius Gaius, sometimes spelled Caius, was a common Latin praenomen; see Gaius (praenomen). People * Gaius (biblical figure) (1st century AD) *Gaius (jurist) (), Roman jurist * Gaius Acilius * Gaius Antonius * Gaius Antonius Hybrida * Gaius Asinius Gal ...
People of the War of Actium People of Antony's Parthian War