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Marcius Turbo
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ng the reigns of Emperor Trajan and Emperor Hadrian, the Roman Empire reached its zenith in terms of size, wealth, stability and tranquility. This period of history is more commonly known as the Pax Romana. This was all possible in great part to the fact that the Roman Military was incredibly powerful and well run. It was a ruthless and efficient military machine that kept the law and order throughout the empire.
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Introduction/Overview
During the reigns of Emperor Trajan and Emperor Hadrian, the Roman Empire reached its zenith in terms of size, wealth, stability and tranquility. This period of history is more commonly known as the Pax Romana. This was all possible in great part to the fact that the Roman Military was incredibly powerful and well run. It was a ruthless and efficient military machine that kept the law and order throughout the empire. A neglected, but nevertheless very important military leader during this time was a man called Quintus Marcius Turbo. He became the Prefect of the Praetorian Guard and a close friend and military advisor to both Emperor Trajan and Emperor Hadrian.
Early Life
Not much is known about the early life of Turbo. There are few records or references that provide reliable information regarding his life before he became a soldier. However, it is known that he came from a city in Greece called Epidaurus, which was a place well known for its religious temples and healing centers. The first substantive record of Turbo appears in 113 AD, when he rose to prominence in the Roman military. Therefore, we can say with some accuracy that he was born sometime during the late 1st century AD.
Career
Turbo enjoyed a varied and illustrious career as a member of the Roman military. The first record of Turbo appears in 113 AD, during the reign of Emperor Trajan. At this time, he was the commander of the Classis Misenensis, otherwise known as the Misenum Fleet. Formed by Emperor Augustus in 27 BC, the Misenum Fleet was an elite naval unit under the direct control of the Emperor. Basically, the Misenum Fleet was the naval equivalent to the land-based Praetorian Guard. Turbo followed in the footsteps of the famous Pliny the Elder, who had previously been the commander of the Misenum Fleet. Under Turbo’s command, the fleet sailed to the east to aid in the fight against the Parthian Empire sometime between 113 AD and 116 AD. This military venture was part of Trajan’s goal to finally destroy the Parthian threat. Approximately at the same time, large portions of the Jewish population in the Empire began to rebel in an attempt to throw off their Roman overlords. This was the second Jewish revolt, the first being in 66 AD-73 AD. This revolt, which lasted from 115 AD to 117 AD, was widespread and eventually grew into a very grave situation that seriously threatened the empire. This revolt was known as the Kitos War and uprisings took place almost simultaneously in Judea, Egypt, Libya, Cyprus and parts of Mesopotamia. The rebellion killed hundreds of thousands of Romans and it threatened Rome’s lifeline: the grain supply from Egypt. Because of the seriousness of this threat, Trajan sent Marcius Turbo, one of his best military men and closest confidants, to Egypt to deal with the situation. Turbo left the Misenum Fleet and with new troops, sent by Trajan, reestablished control over Egypt and eventually Cyprus. Turbo became the military Prefect of Egypt, known as the Praefectus Pro Legato, for several years while the province went through a process of rehabilitation. In 117 AD Trajan died and was succeeded by his adopted son Hadrian. From the beginning of Hadrian’s reign, Turbo was a close friend, adviser and confidant of Hadrian. After the Jewish revolt had been quelled, Turbo accompanied Hadrian to Mauretania in North Africa where they jointly led a military campaign against local rebels. Hadrian left to deal with other matters in the empire, mainly the threat from Parthia, which seemed to be preparing for another war against Rome and left Turbo in control of the area and campaign. As another example of how much Hadrian trusted Turbo, he put Turbo in charge of two provinces in North Africa, Mauretania Caesariensis and Mauretania Tingitana. After his tenure as governor, Turbo, at the request of Hadrian, accepted control of the Danubian Command, part of the Roman military’s presence in the eastern area of the Empire near the Danube River. Turbo was in charge of the Danubian Command till 123 AD. Just after this appointment, unrest broke out in the Roman province of Dacia, a place rich in gold and other precious metals, and thus very important to Hadrian, who needed access to its vast amounts of wealth to keep the Empire functioning. Turbo was immediately sent to Dacia and managed to stop any rebellion from materializing. Hadrian, in collaboration with Turbo, split Dacia into two regions in the hope of making the province more manageable and less rebellious. These two new regions were called Dacia Superior and Dacia Inferior. After his tenure as the leader of the Danubian command, Turbo went to Rome. Hadrian, famous for his long and extensive travels throughout the empire that helped to consolidate his own power and exhibit the strength of the Emperor, realized that he needed a reliable representative in Rome, so he could continue his extended travels in the Empire. During his travels, Hadrian knew that there was the ever-present threat of being usurped or overthrown by an ambitious politician or general, but Hadrian knew that he could rely on Turbo to truthfully and honestly represent him in Rome because of their close relationship and because of Turbo’s influential sway in politics and the military. Simply put, Turbo could hold down the fort while Hadrian was absent. In 125 AD, Hadrian elevated Turbo to the position of Praefectus Praetorio, or Praetorian Prefect, the leader of the Praetorian Guard. This was an immensely prestigious position with huge responsibilities. For example, Turbo had to keep the Emperor himself safe from any threats while maintaining the security and peace of the Roman heartland, Italy. This was one of the highest posts in the entire Roman government and it was a great honor for Turbo. He held this title until 134 AD. It is at this point that Turbo seems to disappear and no more records are found about him. It seems possible that Turbo, along with many others, fell out of favor with Hadrian later in his reign. However, it is also possible that Turbo died from natural causes, because there is no evidence of foul play.
Contributions/Analysis
Without a doubt Turbo had an illustrious career that was made all the more noteworthy because he was from Greece and not Italy. Up to this point in time, the high positions of the Roman Government were still reserved for the men of noble and aristocratic families of Roman heritage. However, Turbo’s life shows that the general trend in the Empire was towards an egalitarian society where one’s knowledge, skills and accomplishments were just as important as one’s family and ancestors. Furthermore, Turbo accrued many accomplishments during his lifetime in military and political spheres. His military career included becoming the commander of the prestigious Misenum Fleet. He then went on to fight the Parthian Empire, put down the Jewish Revolts, take control of Roman legions in the Danube area and eventually be promoted to the level of Praetorian Prefect. In his political career, he became the de facto governor of Egypt; he became the official governor of Mauretania and he was a close friend, confidant and advisor to two Emperors. Overall, Turbo contributed to the peace, prosperity and strength of the Roman Empire.
Past Historical Interpretations
During the time of the Roman Empire, Turbo was well respected and admired. For example, the celebrated Roman historian Cassius Dio described Turbo as “loyal, assiduous and vigilant.” However, Turbo has not been the focus of contemporary historians, who generally study and focus on the lives of the Emperors and other luminaries, when in actuality, the ones who facilitated the success of the Emperors and Empire are usually ignored. This seems to be the case of Marcius Turbo, who has not been extensively researched and his contributions to the Roman Empire have not been fully appreciated.
Bibliography/End Notes:
Syme, Ronald. Guard Prefects of Trajan and Hadrian. Vol. 70. Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies. 64-80.
Smallwood, Mary E. Palestine A.D. 115-118. 4th ed. Vol. 11. Franz Steiner Verlag. 500-10.
Syme, Ronald. The Wrong Marcius Turbo. 1st ed. Vol. 51. Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies, 1962. 87-96.
Wade, Donald W. Some Governors of Dacia: A Rearrangement. 2nd ed. Vol. 64. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago P, 1969. 105-07.
"Trajan (c. 53-117)." DISCovering Biography. Online ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Student Resource Center - Gold. Gale. Sacred Heart Prepatory (BAISL). 26 Nov. 2008
http://find.galegroup.com/ips/start.do?prodId=IPS
"Hadrian, Emperor of Rome (76-138)." DISCovering World History. Online ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Student Resource Center - Gold. Gale. Sacred Heart Prepatory (BAISL). 26 Nov. 2008 .
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