Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus Gaetulicus
Encyclopedia
Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus Gaetulicus (d. 39) was a Roman general and politician. He was involved in a plot against the emperor Caligula
and was executed after its discovery.
, possibly in succession to his brother. He served there from 29-39 AD while his father-in-law governed Germania Inferior
. He was well liked by his troops but his easy-going ways led to a relaxation of discipline, which left the province of Gaul
open to invasions by Germanic tribes.
Gaetulicus was an ally of the notorious prefect of the praetorian guard, Sejanus
, and his daughter was betrothed to Sejanus’ son. He survived Sejanus’ fall in 31 by reputedly writing to the emperor Tiberius
that his error of judgement had been no different from the emperor’s.
Gaetulicus sought to curry favour with Tiberius’ successor Caligula, writing flattering comments about that emperor’s birth, perhaps in the hope of securing a command in the projected invasion of Britain. All the same he became involved in a murky conspiracy against Caligula in 39, possible in league with Lepidus
, the husband of Caligula’s late sister Drusilla and a close friend of the emperor. Caligula got wind of the plot and had Gaetulicus executed, probably in early October of that year.
Gaetulicus' writing is used as a primary source for Suetonius
' Lives of Twelve Caesars and Tacitus' Annals. He is mentioned in Suetonius' Life of Caligula (Gaius) 8 and his account of Caligula's birth is referred to in Tacitus' Annals I.41.
Gaetulicus was a poet of some note. He wrote erotic verses that inspired Martial
, who cited him as a precedent for the free use of language.
Caligula
Caligula , also known as Gaius, was Roman Emperor from 37 AD to 41 AD. Caligula was a member of the house of rulers conventionally known as the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Caligula's father Germanicus, the nephew and adopted son of Emperor Tiberius, was a very successful general and one of Rome's most...
and was executed after its discovery.
Biography
Gaetulicus was Consul in 26 AD. He later became Legate of Germania SuperiorGermania Superior
Germania Superior , so called for the reason that it lay upstream of Germania Inferior, was a province of the Roman Empire. It comprised an area of western Switzerland, the French Jura and Alsace regions, and southwestern Germany...
, possibly in succession to his brother. He served there from 29-39 AD while his father-in-law governed Germania Inferior
Germania Inferior
Germania Inferior was a Roman province located on the left bank of the Rhine, in today's Luxembourg, southern Netherlands, parts of Belgium, and North Rhine-Westphalia left of the Rhine....
. He was well liked by his troops but his easy-going ways led to a relaxation of discipline, which left the province of Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
open to invasions by Germanic tribes.
Gaetulicus was an ally of the notorious prefect of the praetorian guard, Sejanus
Sejanus
Lucius Aelius Seianus , commonly known as Sejanus, was an ambitious soldier, friend and confidant of the Roman Emperor Tiberius...
, and his daughter was betrothed to Sejanus’ son. He survived Sejanus’ fall in 31 by reputedly writing to the emperor Tiberius
Tiberius
Tiberius , was Roman Emperor from 14 AD to 37 AD. Tiberius was by birth a Claudian, son of Tiberius Claudius Nero and Livia Drusilla. His mother divorced Nero and married Augustus in 39 BC, making him a step-son of Octavian...
that his error of judgement had been no different from the emperor’s.
Gaetulicus sought to curry favour with Tiberius’ successor Caligula, writing flattering comments about that emperor’s birth, perhaps in the hope of securing a command in the projected invasion of Britain. All the same he became involved in a murky conspiracy against Caligula in 39, possible in league with Lepidus
Marcus Aemilius Lepidus (executed 39)
Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, was the son of consul Lucius Aemilius Paullus. He and his sister Aemilia Lepida were both married to siblings of the Emperor Caligula...
, the husband of Caligula’s late sister Drusilla and a close friend of the emperor. Caligula got wind of the plot and had Gaetulicus executed, probably in early October of that year.
Gaetulicus' writing is used as a primary source for Suetonius
Suetonius
Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus, commonly known as Suetonius , was a Roman historian belonging to the equestrian order in the early Imperial era....
' Lives of Twelve Caesars and Tacitus' Annals. He is mentioned in Suetonius' Life of Caligula (Gaius) 8 and his account of Caligula's birth is referred to in Tacitus' Annals I.41.
Gaetulicus was a poet of some note. He wrote erotic verses that inspired Martial
Martial
Marcus Valerius Martialis , was a Latin poet from Hispania best known for his twelve books of Epigrams, published in Rome between AD 86 and 103, during the reigns of the emperors Domitian, Nerva and Trajan...
, who cited him as a precedent for the free use of language.