Icelus Martianus or Marcianus (died 69 CE) was a freedman of and adviser to the Roman Emperor

Galba Galba ( ; born Servius Sulpicius Galba; 24 December 3 BC – 15 January AD 69) was Roman emperor, ruling for 7 months from 8 June AD 68 to 15 January 69. He was the first emperor in the Year of the Four Emperors and assumed the throne follow ...

. Icelus had been imprisoned and released during the revolt against

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 ...

and was present at Nero's suicide where he granted Nero's request that his body would be buried intact. When Icelus brought news of Nero's death to Galba, he showered him with kisses; Suetonius suggests that Icelus was a homosexual lover of Galba. Icelus was given the name Martianus and elevated to the rank of knight by Galba. This was contrary to the Tiberian law which stipulated that no freedman could be elevated to equestrian rank without first having three previous generations of free birth. Icelus rivalled

Titus Vinius Titus Vinius (12 – 69) was a Roman general and one of the most powerful men in Rome during the reign of the Emperor Galba. Stories Plutarch recounts several stories about Vinius' early life, all casting him in a negative light. According t ...

, and

Cornelius Laco Cornelius Laco (died 69) was a prefect of the Roman ''vigiles'' (''praefectus vigilum'') under ClaudiusCassius Dio 60, 23, 3. and later of the imperial bodyguard, known as the Praetorian Guard ('' praefectus praetorio'') under Emperor Galba from ...

for influence over Galba who executed numerous Roman citizens without trial. Icelus along with Laco opposed the adoption of Otho by Galba. After Galba was deposed, Icelus was publicly executed by

Otho Otho ( ; born Marcus Salvius Otho; 28 April 32 – 16 April 69) was Roman emperor, ruling for three months from 15 January to 16 April 69. He was the second emperor of the Year of the Four Emperors. A member of a noble Etruscan civilization, ...

who accused Icelus of theft of public funds.

Citations

1st-century Romans Male lovers of royalty {{AncientRome-bio-stub