Gaius Considius Longus
Encyclopedia
Gaius Considius Longus was a Roman politician and general in the last years of the Roman republic. As a commander in Africa, he fought on the Pompeian
side in the Roman civil war
and was killed by his own retinue in 46 BC as he attempted to escape after Julius Caesar
's victory at Thapsus
.
ship at an unknown date, not later than 52 BC, and followed it by governing the province of Africa
as propraetor. During his administration, in 50 BC, he travelled to Rome to seek the consul
ship, leaving Quintus Ligarius
as his representative. When the Roman civil war broke out, he returned to Africa with other supporters of Pompey
. He and P. Attius Varus are described as legatus pro praetore in an inscription from Curubis (modern Korba
), which they fortified: they would have held the office as subordinate commanders first to Pompey, then, after Pompey's death in 48 BC, to Metellus Scipio
, who succeeded Pompey to command of the senatorial side against Julius Caesar
. Considius held Hadrumentum with one legion
and took part in successful operations against Caesar's general Curio. By the time that Caesar reached Africa, in 46 BC, Considius had increased his troops to two legions and 700 cavalry. Caesar's legate L. Plancus tried to negotiate with Considius, sending a captive to him carrying a letter. Considius asked who it was from. On hearing that it was from "the imperator Caesar", he replied "The only imperator of the Roman people at this time is Scipio" and ordered his men to execute the captive and send the letters on to Scipio unread. He undertook ineffective operations against Acylla, a town which had gone over to Caesar's side. Shortly after this he was in the town of Thysdra (modern El Djem
) with soldiers and a retinue of gladiators and Gaetulia
ns. It was here that he learnt that Caesar had been victorious at the battle of Thapsus
. He left the town secretly, attempting to escape to Numidia
, ruled by his ally, Juba I. But underway his Gaetulian retinue killed him for the money he was carrying and fled.
mentions a son: Caesar captured him at Hadrumentum after the battle of Thapsus and spared his life. Theodor Mommsen
accepted the view of Bartolomeo Borghesi
that C. Considius Paetus, a late republican moneyer, was the same person; but Michael Crawford
, in the most recent catalogue of republican coinage says only "the moneyer is a C. Considius Paetus, not otherwise known".
("The African War"), also known as De Bello Africo ("On the African War"), an anonymous account of Julius Caesar's African campaign, which supplements Caesar's own account of the civil war and seems to have been written by a soldier who had served under Caesar on the campaign. It is usually included in a larger text along with other accounts of the last stages of the civil war, the Bellum Hispaniense (War in Spain) and Bellum Alexandrinum (War in Alexandria). For Considius' earlier career we have some information from Cicero's speech Pro Quinto Ligario ("On behalf of Quintus Ligarius") and the ancient commentary to this, first edited by Jakob Gronovius
and so known as the Scholia Gronoviana, but now generally cited from the edition of Thomas Stangl.
Pompey
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, also known as Pompey or Pompey the Great , was a military and political leader of the late Roman Republic...
side in the Roman civil war
Caesar's civil war
The Great Roman Civil War , also known as Caesar's Civil War, was one of the last politico-military conflicts in the Roman Republic before the establishment of the Roman Empire...
and was killed by his own retinue in 46 BC as he attempted to escape after Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
's victory at Thapsus
Battle of Thapsus
The Battle of Thapsus took place on April 6, 46 BC near Thapsus . The Republican forces of the Optimates, led by Quintus Caecillius Metellus Scipio, clashed with the veteran forces loyal to Julius Caesar.-Prelude:...
.
Life
Considius held the praetorPraetor
Praetor was a title granted by the government of Ancient Rome to men acting in one of two official capacities: the commander of an army, usually in the field, or the named commander before mustering the army; and an elected magistratus assigned varied duties...
ship at an unknown date, not later than 52 BC, and followed it by governing the province of Africa
Africa Province
The Roman province of Africa was established after the Romans defeated Carthage in the Third Punic War. It roughly comprised the territory of present-day northern Tunisia, and the small Mediterranean coast of modern-day western Libya along the Syrtis Minor...
as propraetor. During his administration, in 50 BC, he travelled to Rome to seek the 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...
ship, leaving Quintus Ligarius
Quintus Ligarius
Quintus Ligarius was a Roman soldier, circa 50 BC. He was accused of treason for having opposed Julius Caesar in a war in Africa, but was defended so eloquently by Cicero that he was pardoned and allowed to return to Rome. He later conspired with Brutus in the assassination of Julius Caesar.-In...
as his representative. When the Roman civil war broke out, he returned to Africa with other supporters of Pompey
Pompey
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, also known as Pompey or Pompey the Great , was a military and political leader of the late Roman Republic...
. He and P. Attius Varus are described as legatus pro praetore in an inscription from Curubis (modern Korba
Korba, Tunisia
Korba, ancient Curubis, is a town in Tunisia on the eastern shore of the Cap Bon. It was the place of exile of the Carthaginian bishop Cyprian in the year leading up to his martyrdom...
), which they fortified: they would have held the office as subordinate commanders first to Pompey, then, after Pompey's death in 48 BC, to Metellus Scipio
Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio Nasica
Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio Nasica , in modern scholarship often as Metellus Scipio, was a Roman consul and military commander in the Late Republic. During the civil war between Julius Caesar and the senatorial faction led by Pompeius Magnus , he remained a staunch optimate...
, who succeeded Pompey to command of the senatorial side against Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
. Considius held Hadrumentum with one legion
Roman legion
A Roman legion normally indicates the basic ancient Roman army unit recruited specifically from Roman citizens. The organization of legions varied greatly over time but they were typically composed of perhaps 5,000 soldiers, divided into maniples and later into "cohorts"...
and took part in successful operations against Caesar's general Curio. By the time that Caesar reached Africa, in 46 BC, Considius had increased his troops to two legions and 700 cavalry. Caesar's legate L. Plancus tried to negotiate with Considius, sending a captive to him carrying a letter. Considius asked who it was from. On hearing that it was from "the imperator Caesar", he replied "The only imperator of the Roman people at this time is Scipio" and ordered his men to execute the captive and send the letters on to Scipio unread. He undertook ineffective operations against Acylla, a town which had gone over to Caesar's side. Shortly after this he was in the town of Thysdra (modern El Djem
El Djem
Drifting sand is preserving the market city of Thysdrus and the refined suburban villas that once surrounded it. The amphiteatre occupies archaeologists' attention: no digging required...
) with soldiers and a retinue of gladiators and Gaetulia
Gaetulia
Gaetuli was the Romanised name of an ancient Berber tribe inhabiting Getulia, covering the desert region south of the Atlas Mountains, bordering the Sahara. Other sources place Getulia in pre-Roman times along the Mediterranean coasts of what is now Algeria and Tunisia, and north of the Atlas...
ns. It was here that he learnt that Caesar had been victorious at the battle of Thapsus
Battle of Thapsus
The Battle of Thapsus took place on April 6, 46 BC near Thapsus . The Republican forces of the Optimates, led by Quintus Caecillius Metellus Scipio, clashed with the veteran forces loyal to Julius Caesar.-Prelude:...
. He left the town secretly, attempting to escape to Numidia
Numidia
Numidia was an ancient Berber kingdom in part of present-day Eastern Algeria and Western Tunisia in North Africa. It is known today as the Chawi-land, the land of the Chawi people , the direct descendants of the historical Numidians or the Massyles The kingdom began as a sovereign state and later...
, ruled by his ally, Juba I. But underway his Gaetulian retinue killed him for the money he was carrying and fled.
Family
The Bellum AfricumDe Bello Africo
De Bello Africo is part of the Caesarian corpus. Its authorship is disputed, though scholarly consensus has ruled out Julius Caesar as the author...
mentions a son: Caesar captured him at Hadrumentum after the battle of Thapsus and spared his life. Theodor Mommsen
Theodor Mommsen
Christian Matthias Theodor Mommsen was a German classical scholar, historian, jurist, journalist, politician, archaeologist, and writer generally regarded as the greatest classicist of the 19th century. His work regarding Roman history is still of fundamental importance for contemporary research...
accepted the view of Bartolomeo Borghesi
Bartolomeo Borghesi
Bartolomeo Borghesi was an Italian antiquarian who was a key figure in establishing the science of numismatics....
that C. Considius Paetus, a late republican moneyer, was the same person; but Michael Crawford
Michael Crawford (historian)
Michael Hewson Crawford is a British ancient historian and numismatist.-Biography:Michael Crawford was born in Twickenham on 7 December 1939.He was educated at St Paul's School and Oriel College, Oxford , and the British School at Rome....
, in the most recent catalogue of republican coinage says only "the moneyer is a C. Considius Paetus, not otherwise known".
Primary sources
Our chief source is the anonymous Bellum AfricumDe Bello Africo
De Bello Africo is part of the Caesarian corpus. Its authorship is disputed, though scholarly consensus has ruled out Julius Caesar as the author...
("The African War"), also known as De Bello Africo ("On the African War"), an anonymous account of Julius Caesar's African campaign, which supplements Caesar's own account of the civil war and seems to have been written by a soldier who had served under Caesar on the campaign. It is usually included in a larger text along with other accounts of the last stages of the civil war, the Bellum Hispaniense (War in Spain) and Bellum Alexandrinum (War in Alexandria). For Considius' earlier career we have some information from Cicero's speech Pro Quinto Ligario ("On behalf of Quintus Ligarius") and the ancient commentary to this, first edited by Jakob Gronovius
Jakob Gronovius
Jacobus Gronovius a.k.a. Jacob Gronow was a Dutch classical scholar.He was the son of the German classical scholar Johann Friedrich Gronovius and Aleyda ten Nuyl from Deventer, and father of the botanist Jan Frederik Gronovius...
and so known as the Scholia Gronoviana, but now generally cited from the edition of Thomas Stangl.
Secondary literature
- Brennan, T. CoreyT. Corey BrennanTerry Corey Brennan is an associate professor of Classics at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, , and was a guitarist and songwriter involved with several bands, most notably the alternative rock band The Lemonheads....
(2000), The Praetorship of the Roman Republic (Oxford:OUP) vol. II ISBN 0-19-511460-4 - Münzer, F.Friedrich MünzerFriedrich Münzer was a German classical scholar noted for the development of prosopography, particularly for his demonstrations of how family relationships in ancient Rome connected to political struggles....
(1901), "C. Considius C. f. Longus" (Considius 11), R.E. IV 913-4.