Gaius Claudius Nero
Encyclopedia
Gaius Claudius Nero was a Roman
consul
who fought in the Battle of the Metaurus
(207 BC). He was member of the gens
Claudia
. He is not to be confused with the Roman Emperor Nero
.In 207 BC
, the thirteenth year of the war, he was elected consul with Marcus Livius Salinator
, and with his colleague he led the army that defeated
the Carthaginians
at the river Metaurus, killing their commander, Hannibal's brother Hasdrubal
.
Prior to this he had held subordinate commands which he had conducted with success. Because Hasdrubal was descending on Italy from the north, two additional legions were put into the field at this time. In addition to this, reinforcements were sent from Spain and Sicily, 15,000 in all.
The Romans had been aware of Hasdrubal's coming for some time. Although generally considered a good commander by historians, Hasdrubal is often found wanting in celerity of action. He had previously defeated the Scipio's in Spain in 212 BC
and in spite of this, had not left Spain. In addition to this, he left for Italy so late that he was compelled to camp on the Western side of the alps
, a critical mistake, as it would give the Romans plenty of time to prepare for their coming, and they did so.
He was censor
with Marcus Livius Salinator
in 204 BC
and often quarrelled with him.
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
consul
Consul
Consul was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire. The title was also used in other city states and also revived in modern states, notably in the First French Republic...
who fought in the Battle of the Metaurus
Battle of the Metaurus
The Battle of the Metaurus was a pivotal battle in the Second Punic War between Rome and Carthage, fought in 207 BC near the Metauro River in present-day Italy. The battle gets a chapter in the classic The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World by Sir Edward Shepherd Creasy...
(207 BC). He was member of the gens
Gens
In ancient Rome, a gens , plural gentes, referred to a family, consisting of all those individuals who shared the same nomen and claimed descent from a common ancestor. A branch of a gens was called a stirps . The gens was an important social structure at Rome and throughout Italy during the...
Claudia
Claudius (gens)
The gens Claudia, sometimes written Clodia, was one of the most prominent patrician houses at Rome. The gens traced its origin to the earliest days of the Roman Republic...
. He is not to be confused with the Roman Emperor Nero
Nero
Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....
.In 207 BC
207 BC
Year 207 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Nero and Salinator...
, the thirteenth year of the war, he was elected consul with Marcus Livius Salinator
Marcus Livius Salinator
Marcus Livius Drusus Salinator , the son of Marcus , was a Roman consul who fought in both the First Punic wars and Second Punic wars most notably during the Battle of Zama....
, and with his colleague he led the army that defeated
Battle of the Metaurus
The Battle of the Metaurus was a pivotal battle in the Second Punic War between Rome and Carthage, fought in 207 BC near the Metauro River in present-day Italy. The battle gets a chapter in the classic The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World by Sir Edward Shepherd Creasy...
the Carthaginians
Carthage
Carthage , implying it was a 'new Tyre') is a major urban centre that has existed for nearly 3,000 years on the Gulf of Tunis, developing from a Phoenician colony of the 1st millennium BC...
at the river Metaurus, killing their commander, Hannibal's brother Hasdrubal
Hasdrubal Barca
Hasdrubal was Hamilcar Barca's second son and a Carthaginian general in the Second Punic War. He was a younger brother of the much more famous Hannibal.-Youth and Iberian leadership:...
.
Prior to this he had held subordinate commands which he had conducted with success. Because Hasdrubal was descending on Italy from the north, two additional legions were put into the field at this time. In addition to this, reinforcements were sent from Spain and Sicily, 15,000 in all.
The Romans had been aware of Hasdrubal's coming for some time. Although generally considered a good commander by historians, Hasdrubal is often found wanting in celerity of action. He had previously defeated the Scipio's in Spain in 212 BC
212 BC
Year 212 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Flaccus and Pulcher...
and in spite of this, had not left Spain. In addition to this, he left for Italy so late that he was compelled to camp on the Western side of the alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
, a critical mistake, as it would give the Romans plenty of time to prepare for their coming, and they did so.
He was censor
Censor (ancient Rome)
The censor was an officer in ancient Rome who was responsible for maintaining the census, supervising public morality, and overseeing certain aspects of the government's finances....
with Marcus Livius Salinator
Marcus Livius Salinator
Marcus Livius Drusus Salinator , the son of Marcus , was a Roman consul who fought in both the First Punic wars and Second Punic wars most notably during the Battle of Zama....
in 204 BC
204 BC
Year 204 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Cethegus and Tuditanus...
and often quarrelled with him.