Marcus Roscius Coelius (or Caelius) was a

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 ...

military officer of the 1st century AD. He was appointed

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 ...

for the ''

nundinium Nundinium was a Latin word derived from the word '' nundinum'', which referred to the cycle of days observed by the Romans. During the Roman Empire, ''nundinium'' came to mean the duration of a single consulship among several in a calendar year. ...

'' March-April AD 81 with Gaius Julius Juvenalis as his colleague. There is some uncertainty about his name.

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'' ( ...

calls him "Caelius", but the ''

Acta Fratrum Arvalium Acta or ACTA may refer to: Institutions * Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, an intellectual property trade agreement * Administrative Council for Terminal Attachments, a standards organization for terminal equipment such as registered jacks * A ...

'' calls him "Marcus Roscius Coelius". Anthony Birley suggests he may have had additional names, including "Murena"; he notes that there are several Roscii Murenae in the second century, "perhaps his descendants".Birley, ''The Fasti of Roman Britain'', (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1981) p. 232 Coelius was the

legate Legate may refer to: People * Bartholomew Legate (1575–1611), English martyr * Julie Anne Legate (born 1972), Canadian linguistics professor * William LeGate (born 1994), American entrepreneur Political and religious offices *Legatus, a hig ...

of the ''

Legio XX Valeria Victrix Legio XX Valeria Victrix, in English the Twentieth Victorious Valeria Legion, was a legion of the Imperial Roman army. The origin of the Legion's name is unclear and there are various theories, but the legion may have gained its title ''Vale ...

'', stationed in

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 ...

in 68 AD. He was on bad terms with the provincial governor,

Marcus Trebellius Maximus Marcus Trebellius Maximus was a Roman Empire, Roman Roman senate, senator active during the reign of Nero. He was Roman consul, suffect consul for the ''nundinium'' of May to June 55 AD as the colleague of Seneca the Younger, replacing Publius Corn ...

, and took the opportunity during the turmoil of the

year of four emperors A year is a unit of time based on how long it takes the Earth to orbit the Sun. In scientific use, the tropical year (approximately 365 solar days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, 45 seconds) and the sidereal year (about 20 minutes longer) are more exa ...

to foment mutiny against him. Trebellius lost all authority with the army, which sided with Coelius, and fled to the protection of

Vitellius Aulus Vitellius ( ; ; 24 September 1520 December 69) was Roman emperor for eight months, from 19 April to 20 December AD 69. Vitellius became emperor following the quick succession of the previous emperors Galba and Otho, in a year of civil wa ...

Germania Germania ( ; ), also more specifically called Magna Germania (English: ''Great Germania''), Germania Libera (English: ''Free Germania''), or Germanic Barbaricum to distinguish it from the Roman provinces of Germania Inferior and Germania Superio ...

. Coelius and his fellow legates briefly ruled the province until Vitellius, now emperor, sent

Marcus Vettius Bolanus Marcus Vettius Bolanus (c. 33 – 76) was a Roman senator and soldier. He was suffect consul for the '' nundinium'' of September-December 66 as the colleague of Marcus Arruntius Aquila. Career Bolanus served in Anatolia under Corbulo in 62. ...

to be the new governor in late 69. The year of civil war ended when

Vespasian Vespasian (; ; 17 November AD 9 – 23 June 79) was Roman emperor from 69 to 79. The last emperor to reign in the Year of the Four Emperors, he founded the Flavian dynasty, which ruled the Empire for 27 years. His fiscal reforms and consolida ...

took the Empire. In 71 he recalled Coelius, whose treacherous behaviour had been made known to him, and replaced him as commander of the ''XX Valeria Victrix'' with

Gnaeus Julius Agricola Gnaeus Julius Agricola (; 13 June 40 – 23 August 93) was a Roman general and politician responsible for much of the Roman conquest of Britain. Born to a political family of senatorial rank, Agricola began his military career as a military tribu ...

.Tacitus, ''

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 ...

'
7
/ref> Coelius was appointed suffect consul in 81. Birley notes,"The fact that he did not achieve the ''fasces'' until four years after his successor as legionary legate suggests that his progress may have been a little impeded on account of his conduct in 69."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roscius Coelius, Marcus Ancient Romans in Britain Ancient Roman generals 1st-century Romans Suffect consuls of Imperial Rome Roscius, Marcus Coelius, Marcus