Gnaeus Papirius Carbo
Encyclopedia
Gnaeus Papirius Carbo was a three-time consul
of ancient Rome
.
A member of the Carbo
nes of the plebeian gens Papiria, and nephew of Gaius Papirius Carbo
(consul of 120), he was a strong supporter of the Marian
party, and took part in the blockade of Rome (87 BC). In 85 BC he was chosen by Lucius Cornelius Cinna
as his colleague in the consulship, and extensive preparations were made for carrying out war in Greece
against Lucius Cornelius Sulla
, who had announced his intention of returning to Italy. Cinna and Carbo declared themselves consuls for the following year, and large bodies of troops were transported across the Adriatic Sea
; but when Cinna was murdered by his own soldiers, who refused to engage in civil war, Carbo was obliged to bring them back.
In 82 BC Carbo, then consul for the third time with Gaius Marius the Younger
, fought an indecisive engagement with Sulla near Clusium
, but was defeated with great loss in an attack on the camp of Sulla's general, Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius
near Faventia. Although he still had a large army and the Samnites remained faithful to him, Carbo was so disheartened by his failure to relieve Praeneste, where Marius the Younger had taken refuge, that he decided to leave Italy. He first fled to Africa
, thence to the island of Cossyra (Pantelleria
), where he was arrested, taken in chains before Gnaeus Pompey Magnus at Lilybaeum and put to death.
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...
of ancient Rome
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....
.
A member of the Carbo
Carbo
Carbo was a plebeian family within the gens Papiria of ancient Rome. Several members were notable:* Gaius Papirius Carbo, praetor 168 BC* Gaius Papirius Carbo, consul 120 BC* Gnaeus Papirius Carbo, consul 113 BC...
nes of the plebeian gens Papiria, and nephew of Gaius Papirius Carbo
Gaius Papirius Carbo (consul 120 BC)
Gaius Papirius Carbo was an Ancient Roman statesman and orator. He was associated with Gaius Gracchus in carrying out the provision of the agrarian law of Tiberius Gracchus. When tribune of the people , Carbo carried out a law extending the secret ballot for the enactment and repeal of laws...
(consul of 120), he was a strong supporter of the Marian
Gaius Marius
Gaius Marius was a Roman general and statesman. He was elected consul an unprecedented seven times during his career. He was also noted for his dramatic reforms of Roman armies, authorizing recruitment of landless citizens, eliminating the manipular military formations, and reorganizing the...
party, and took part in the blockade of Rome (87 BC). In 85 BC he was chosen by Lucius Cornelius Cinna
Lucius Cornelius Cinna
Lucius Cornelius Cinna was a four-time consul of the Roman Republic, serving four consecutive terms from 87 to 84 BC, and a member of the ancient Roman Cinna family of the Cornelii gens....
as his colleague in the consulship, and extensive preparations were made for carrying out war in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
against Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix , known commonly as Sulla, was a Roman general and statesman. He had the rare distinction of holding the office of consul twice, as well as that of dictator...
, who had announced his intention of returning to Italy. Cinna and Carbo declared themselves consuls for the following year, and large bodies of troops were transported across the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
; but when Cinna was murdered by his own soldiers, who refused to engage in civil war, Carbo was obliged to bring them back.
In 82 BC Carbo, then consul for the third time with Gaius Marius the Younger
Gaius Marius the Younger
Gaius Marius Minor, also known in English as Marius the Younger or informally "the younger Marius" , was the adopted son of Gaius Marius, who was seven times consul, and a famous military commander. Appian first describes him as the son of the great Marius, but in a subsequent passage, he is...
, fought an indecisive engagement with Sulla near Clusium
Clusium
Clusium was an ancient city in Italy, one of several found at the site. The current municipality of Chiusi partly overlaps this Roman walled city. The Roman city remodeled an earlier Etruscan city, Clevsin, found in the territory of a prehistoric culture, possibly also Etruscan or proto-Etruscan...
, but was defeated with great loss in an attack on the camp of Sulla's general, Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius
Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius
Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius was a pro-Sullan politician and general. He was named Pius because of his 99 BC petition to return his father from exile and was true to his cognomen for the constance and inflexibility with which he always fought for his father's rehabilitation and return to...
near Faventia. Although he still had a large army and the Samnites remained faithful to him, Carbo was so disheartened by his failure to relieve Praeneste, where Marius the Younger had taken refuge, that he decided to leave Italy. He first fled to Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, thence to the island of Cossyra (Pantelleria
Pantelleria
Pantelleria , the ancient Cossyra, is an Italian island in the Strait of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea, southwest of Sicily and just east of the Tunisian coast. Administratively Pantelleria is a comune belonging to the Sicilian province of Trapani...
), where he was arrested, taken in chains before Gnaeus Pompey Magnus at Lilybaeum and put to death.