M. Valerius Laevinus
Encyclopedia
Marcus Valerius Laevinus was a Roman magistrate who was active during both the Second Punic War
and the First Macedonian War
.
Elected praetor
in 215 BC, he was assigned to Brundisium with two legions recently withdrawn from Sicily to protect the Calabrian coast and prevent Philip V of Macedon
from giving aid to Hannibal. The next year, his command extended as propraetor with only one legion but a sizeable fleet, he crossed over to Illyria
, recaptured Oricum and relieved Apollonia
, which was being besieged by Philip. For the next few years, with his command continually extended by the senate
, he kept the Macedonians from interfering in Italy by actively cooperating with Philip’s many enemies in the region. In 211 BC, he negotiated a treaty with the Aetolians (one of Philip's main opponents), though this was not ratified by the senate until 209 BC.
In 210 BC, Laevinus was elected consul
in his absence, with Marcus Claudius Marcellus
as his colleague, and returned to Rome
being replaced by the proconsul
Publius Sulpicius Galba Maximus
.
He was assigned the province of Sicily
, which had originally been assigned to Marcellus, later in the same year. He mustered a large army and quickly captured the last major Punic stronghold at Acragas
(Agrigentum). It was betrayed to him by Muttines, a cavalry commander who had served in Italy under Hannibal but who had been badly treated by Hanno
, the Cathaginian commander in Sicily. In the aftermath of this success, another forty towns and cities voluntarily surrendered to Laevinus, twenty were betrayed to him and only six had to be taken by direct assault.
With Sicily subjugated, Laevinus set about reviving agriculture on the island to restore the flow of grain to Italy
. In 208 BC, he sent a fleet to North Africa
, which attacked Clupea
and defeated a Carthaginian fleet. In 207 BC, his fleet ravaged the North African coast around Utica
and Carthage
, and defeated another Carthaginian fleet. Laevinus was finally recalled to Rome in 206 BC, being replaced by the praetor C. Servilius Geminus
.
Second Punic War
The Second Punic War, also referred to as The Hannibalic War and The War Against Hannibal, lasted from 218 to 201 BC and involved combatants in the western and eastern Mediterranean. This was the second major war between Carthage and the Roman Republic, with the participation of the Berbers on...
and the First Macedonian War
First Macedonian War
The First Macedonian War was fought by Rome, allied with the Aetolian League and Attalus I of Pergamon, against Philip V of Macedon, contemporaneously with the Second Punic War against Carthage...
.
Elected praetor
Praetor
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...
in 215 BC, he was assigned to Brundisium with two legions recently withdrawn from Sicily to protect the Calabrian coast and prevent Philip V of Macedon
Philip V of Macedon
Philip V was King of Macedon from 221 BC to 179 BC. Philip's reign was principally marked by an unsuccessful struggle with the emerging power of Rome. Philip was attractive and charismatic as a young man...
from giving aid to Hannibal. The next year, his command extended as propraetor with only one legion but a sizeable fleet, he crossed over to Illyria
Illyria
In classical antiquity, Illyria was a region in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula inhabited by the Illyrians....
, recaptured Oricum and relieved Apollonia
Apollonia, Illyria
Apollonia was an ancient Greek city in Illyria, located on the right bank of the Aous river . Its ruins are situated in the Fier region, near the village of Pojani, in modern-day Albania...
, which was being besieged by Philip. For the next few years, with his command continually extended by the senate
Roman Senate
The Senate of the Roman Republic was a political institution in the ancient Roman Republic, however, it was not an elected body, but one whose members were appointed by the consuls, and later by the censors. After a magistrate served his term in office, it usually was followed with automatic...
, he kept the Macedonians from interfering in Italy by actively cooperating with Philip’s many enemies in the region. In 211 BC, he negotiated a treaty with the Aetolians (one of Philip's main opponents), though this was not ratified by the senate until 209 BC.
In 210 BC, Laevinus was elected 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...
in his absence, with Marcus Claudius Marcellus
Marcus Claudius Marcellus
Marcus Claudius Marcellus , five times elected as consul of the Roman Republic, was an important Roman military leader during the Gallic War of 225 BC and the Second Punic War...
as his colleague, and returned to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
being replaced by the proconsul
Proconsul
A proconsul was a governor of a province in the Roman Republic appointed for one year by the senate. In modern usage, the title has been used for a person from one country ruling another country or bluntly interfering in another country's internal affairs.-Ancient Rome:In the Roman Republic, a...
Publius Sulpicius Galba Maximus
Publius Sulpicius Galba Maximus
Publius Sulpicius Galba Maximus was a consul of Rome in 211 BC, when he defended the city against the surprise attack by Hannibal.He was proconsul in Greece from 210 to 206, continuing the First Macedonian War against Philip V of Macedon...
.
He was assigned the province of Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, which had originally been assigned to Marcellus, later in the same year. He mustered a large army and quickly captured the last major Punic stronghold at Acragas
Acragas
Acragas may refer to:* Agrigento, aka Acragas, an ancient Greek city on the site of modern Agrigento, Sicily* Acragas, son of Zeus and the Oceanid Asterope in Greek mythology...
(Agrigentum). It was betrayed to him by Muttines, a cavalry commander who had served in Italy under Hannibal but who had been badly treated by Hanno
Hanno
Hanno may refer to:* Hanno, Saitama, Honshū, Japan* Hanno , a lunar crater* Hanno , the pet white elephant of Pope Leo XPeople named Hanno:*Several ancient Carthaginians, including:...
, the Cathaginian commander in Sicily. In the aftermath of this success, another forty towns and cities voluntarily surrendered to Laevinus, twenty were betrayed to him and only six had to be taken by direct assault.
With Sicily subjugated, Laevinus set about reviving agriculture on the island to restore the flow of grain to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. In 208 BC, he sent a fleet to North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
, which attacked Clupea
Clupea
Clupea may refer to:* Clupea, genus of herrings* Kelibia, coastal town in northeastern Tunisia...
and defeated a Carthaginian fleet. In 207 BC, his fleet ravaged the North African coast around Utica
Utica, Tunisia
Utica is an ancient city northwest of Carthage near the outflow of the Medjerda River into the Mediterranean Sea, traditionally considered to be the first colony founded by the Phoenicians in North Africa...
and Carthage
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...
, and defeated another Carthaginian fleet. Laevinus was finally recalled to Rome in 206 BC, being replaced by the praetor C. Servilius Geminus
Servilius
The gens Servilia was an illustrious Patrician gens at Rome, which furnished numerous magistrates throughout the history of the Roman Republic. It also had Plebeian branches...
.