Spurius Postumius Albinus was a politician of ancient Rome, of patrician rank, of the 2nd century BC. He was

praetor peregrinus 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 discharge vario ...

in 189 BC, responsible for Roman interests in foreign affairs; and

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 th ...

in 186 BC. In his consulship the '' Senatus consultum de Bacchanalibus'' was passed, reforming the mystery cult of

Bacchus In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, myth, Dionysus (; grc, wikt:Διόνυσος, Διόνυσος ) is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstas ...

in Rome and among her close allies on the Italian mainland. In Livy's account, this was a reaction to various abominable crimes committed by members of the cult, and its threat to the Roman state. More likely, the legislation represents an attempt by Postumius and the senate to impose traditional Roman values and collective authority over a well organised, unofficial civil and religious association that seemed dangerously popular, widespread and potentially subversive. The legislation followed close after a particularly traumatic and turbulent period in Rome's history; Postumius was also an augur, which gave him a degree of religious authority. He died in 179 BC at an advanced age.

Livy Titus Livius (; 59 BC – AD 17), known in English as Livy ( ), was a Roman historian. He wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people, titled , covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome before the traditional founding in ...

, 40, 42;

Cicero Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, and academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises that led to the est ...

, '' Cato Maior de Senectute'', 3.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Postumius Albinus, Spurius consul 568 AUC 3rd-century BC births 179 BC deaths 2nd-century BC Roman augurs 2nd-century BC Roman consuls 2nd-century BC Roman praetors Spurius consul 568 AUC Year of birth unknown

See also

References