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Gnaeus Octavius (consul 87 BC)

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206:, but they were repulsed by Octavius and Strabo, with Octavius suffering serious losses. These losses and the sudden death of Strabo soon after saw Octavius's army become increasingly demoralized. He lost 6,000 troops in the battle, while Strabo had lost some 11,000, both through the fighting and a plague that was running through his army. Due to the fear of famine in Rome, Octavius joined his men to Strabo's units, positioned outside the gates, after which he fled from Rome. 221:, he was frustrated when they began to negotiate with Cinna, even going so far as recognizing Cinna as consul. Fearful of this turn of events, and of news that the Senate was also contemplating coming to terms with Cinna, he fell out with Metellus Pius, who had initially refused his soldiers' demands that he take command from Octavius. The army's apparent disloyalty finally convinced Octavius to return to Rome. 229:
Although he tried to continue the resistance against Cinna, Octavius was unable to prevent the Senate from coming to terms with Cinna who entered Rome as consul. Although Cinna gave a vague promise that no harm would come to Octavius, Octavius was persuaded by a group of colleagues to abandon the
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member of the Senate, and was distrustful of Cinna's popularist programme. These political differences saw the two consuls almost immediately begin quarrelling in 87 BC over policy, in which Cinna wanted to enrol the new citizens (Italian allies) across all of the
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When Cinna and Marius began their siege of Rome. Strabo, who was playing a double game with both Octavius and Cinna, attempted to convince Octavius to enter into negotiations with Cinna. An attack by the Marian forces took the
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and attacked Cinna, who was forced to flee the city. During the fight, Octavius's men openly murdered a large number of newly enfranchised citizens, with Octavius using his authority as consul to justify the murders.
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forum and set himself up on the Janiculum as consul in protest against the recognition of Cinna, accompanied by a small number of nobles and a tiny remnant of his military forces. He refused to escape when
139:. He also proposed the recall of Marius and all his supporters. These proposals were strenuously opposed by Octavius, eloquently and energetically speaking against them in the Senate. 249:, describes Gnaeus Octavius's character as "reputable". Unfortunately, he was also slow in action, which contributed to his ultimate failure against Cinna. He had at least one son, 103:. In 88 BC he was back in Rome where he was elected to be consul for the upcoming year (87 BC). While consul designate, he was made to swear an oath alongside his colleague, the 667: 234:
and a small cavalry force stormed the Janiculum, capturing him. Octavius was then beheaded by Censorinus who took his head to Cinna, before nailing it to the
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was initially unwilling to cooperate with Octavius, but eventually moved his troops to the vicinity of Rome, just outside the Colline Gate.
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Fasti Sacerdotum: A Prosopography of Pagan, Jewish, and Christian Religious Officials in the City of Rome, 300 BC to AD 499
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Octavius then illegally stripped Cinna of his consulship and his citizenship, and had elected in his stead
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Because of his interest in soothsayers, modern scholars have supposed that Octavius was a member of the
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Octavius was said to have held to strict principles in his politics and was known for his honesty.
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Octavius was not a natural supporter of Sulla; he disliked both Sulla's march on
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Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology
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which resulted in Marius's exile. However, he was a
115:, and not strip Sulla of his lawful command of the 69:, was a key figure in opposition to the reforms of 1194:The Age of Cinna: Crucible of Late Republican Rome 95:, and in the following year (89 BC) was given a 245:, who discusses him in his lives of Marius and 126:, as well as Sulla's personal vendetta against 170:. Octavius quickly gathered an armed group of 1219:, Anne Glock, David Richardson (translator), 162:who supported Octavius vetoed the law in the 8: 1233: 194:to come to the assistance of the Senate. 65:, was Consul in 128 BC, while his uncle, 91:, in around 90 BC, Octavius was elected 1016: 1211:The Magistrates of the Roman Republic 1126:Broughton, pgs. 48–49; Lovano, pg. 41 978: 976: 974: 972: 970: 968: 966: 964: 958: 952: 950: 948: 946: 944: 942: 940: 938: 919: 917: 915: 913: 911: 909: 907: 895: 893: 891: 889: 877: 875: 869: 863: 861: 859: 857: 855: 853: 851: 849: 843: 841: 839: 837: 835: 829: 827: 808: 806: 804: 802: 800: 798: 796: 785: 783: 781: 779: 767: 765: 743: 737: 735: 733: 731: 729: 727: 725: 723: 701: 699: 684: 682: 680: 678: 666: 664: 662: 660: 648: 646: 644: 642: 640: 618: 612: 610: 608: 606: 604: 582: 580: 578: 576: 574: 558: 556: 554: 552: 550: 548: 546: 534: 532: 530: 528: 526: 524: 522: 520: 514: 508: 506: 504: 502: 500: 498: 496: 494: 488: 486: 484: 482: 480: 478: 476: 474: 459: 457: 455: 453: 451: 449: 447: 435: 433: 431: 429: 427: 425: 423: 421: 393: 365: 363: 361: 359: 357: 355: 353: 351: 335: 333: 331: 329: 327: 325: 323: 321: 319: 317: 315: 313: 311: 291: 273: 87:Although he had failed to be elected 7: 73:in 133 BC. He was a third cousin to 54:Gnaeus Octavius was a member of the 258:Octavia (gens) § Octavii Rufi 14: 1059:Broughton, pg. 46; Lovano, pg. 32 1324:Roman consuls who died in office 1223:, Oxford University Press, 2008. 1023:Broughton, pg. 26; Smith, pg. 8 211:Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius 158:Things came to a head when the 146:, the priests in charge of the 253:, who became consul in 75 BC. 99:command in one of the eastern 1: 1309:1st-century BC Roman consuls 1345: 1201:Sulla: The Last Republican 255: 144:decemviri sacris faciundis 61:. His father, also called 1273: 1253: 1241: 1236: 956: 954: 867: 865: 847: 845: 833: 831: 759: 757: 755: 753: 751: 741: 739: 721: 717: 715: 709: 707: 634: 632: 630: 628: 626: 616: 614: 602: 598: 596: 590: 588: 512: 510: 492: 490: 415: 413: 411: 409: 407: 405: 403: 401: 391: 387: 385: 383: 377: 375: 373: 371: 232:Gaius Marcius Censorinus 215:Publius Licinius Crassus 1207:Broughton, T. Robert S. 180:Lucius Cornelius Merula 77:, father of the future 1314:Ancient Roman generals 247:Lucius Cornelius Sulla 109:Lucius Cornelius Cinna 36:Lucius Cornelius Cinna 1299:2nd-century BC births 1032:Broughton, pgs. 39–40 256:Further information: 117:First Mithridatic War 225:Death and reputation 1269:L. Cornelius Merula 266: 154:Conflict with Cinna 34:in 87 BC alongside 22:(died 87 BC) was a 1277:L. Cornelius Cinna 1265:L. Cornelius Cinna 1245:L. Cornelius Sulla 1237:Political offices 1199:Keaveney, Arthur, 1117:Lovano, pgs. 39–40 1090:Lovano, pgs. 33–34 337:Cn. Octavius Rufus 262: 1287: 1286: 1274:Succeeded by 1249:Q. Pompeius Rufus 1230:, Vol III (1867). 1192:Lovano, Michael, 1153:Broughton, pg. 47 1099:Broughton, pg. 46 1041:Keaveney , pg. 73 994: 993: 988: 932: 905: 887: 821: 794: 777: 693: 676: 658: 568: 544: 468: 445: 345: 307: 306: 298: 297: 280: 279: 160:Plebeian tribunes 71:Tiberius Gracchus 1336: 1242:Preceded by 1234: 1226:Smith, William, 1181: 1178: 1172: 1169: 1163: 1160: 1154: 1151: 1145: 1142: 1136: 1133: 1127: 1124: 1118: 1115: 1109: 1106: 1100: 1097: 1091: 1088: 1082: 1079: 1073: 1070:Fasti Sacerdotum 1066: 1060: 1057: 1051: 1050:Keaveney, pg. 72 1048: 1042: 1039: 1033: 1030: 1024: 1021: 983: 927: 900: 882: 813: 790: 772: 689: 671: 653: 563: 539: 464: 440: 340: 309: 308: 289: 288: 271: 270: 267: 261: 209:Meeting up with 26:who was elected 16:Roman politician 1344: 1343: 1339: 1338: 1337: 1335: 1334: 1333: 1289: 1288: 1283: 1279: 1267: 1261: 1259: 1251: 1247: 1213:, Vol II (1951) 1189: 1184: 1179: 1175: 1170: 1166: 1161: 1157: 1152: 1148: 1143: 1139: 1134: 1130: 1125: 1121: 1116: 1112: 1107: 1103: 1098: 1094: 1089: 1085: 1080: 1076: 1067: 1063: 1058: 1054: 1049: 1045: 1040: 1036: 1031: 1027: 1022: 1018: 1014: 1002: 996: 982: 926: 899: 881: 812: 789: 771: 688: 670: 652: 562: 538: 463: 439: 339: 260: 251:Lucius Octavius 227: 196:Pompeius Strabo 184:Appius Claudius 164:Tribal Assembly 156: 148:Sibylline books 67:Marcus Octavius 63:Gnaeus Octavius 52: 20:Gnaeus Octavius 17: 12: 11: 5: 1342: 1340: 1332: 1331: 1326: 1321: 1316: 1311: 1306: 1301: 1291: 1290: 1285: 1284: 1275: 1272: 1252: 1243: 1239: 1238: 1232: 1231: 1224: 1214: 1204: 1197: 1188: 1185: 1183: 1182: 1173: 1171:Lovano, pg. 47 1164: 1162:Lovano, pg. 45 1155: 1146: 1144:Lovano, pg. 44 1137: 1135:Lovano, pg. 42 1128: 1119: 1110: 1108:Lovano, pg. 39 1101: 1092: 1083: 1081:Lovano, pg. 33 1074: 1061: 1052: 1043: 1034: 1025: 1015: 1013: 1010: 1009: 1008: 1001: 998: 992: 990: 989: 977: 975: 973: 971: 969: 967: 965: 962: 960: 959: 957: 955: 953: 951: 949: 947: 945: 943: 941: 939: 936: 934: 933: 918: 916: 914: 912: 910: 908: 906: 894: 892: 890: 888: 876: 873: 871: 870: 868: 866: 864: 862: 860: 858: 856: 854: 852: 850: 848: 846: 844: 842: 840: 838: 836: 834: 832: 830: 828: 825: 823: 822: 807: 805: 803: 801: 799: 797: 795: 784: 782: 780: 778: 766: 763: 762: 760: 758: 756: 754: 752: 750: 748: 745: 744: 742: 740: 738: 736: 734: 732: 730: 728: 726: 724: 722: 720: 718: 716: 714: 712: 710: 708: 706: 704: 702: 700: 697: 695: 694: 683: 681: 679: 677: 665: 663: 661: 659: 647: 645: 643: 641: 638: 637: 635: 633: 631: 629: 627: 625: 623: 620: 619: 617: 615: 613: 611: 609: 607: 605: 603: 601: 599: 597: 595: 593: 591: 589: 587: 585: 583: 581: 579: 577: 575: 572: 570: 569: 557: 555: 553: 551: 549: 547: 545: 533: 531: 529: 527: 525: 523: 521: 518: 516: 515: 513: 511: 509: 507: 505: 503: 501: 499: 497: 495: 493: 491: 489: 487: 485: 483: 481: 479: 477: 475: 472: 470: 469: 458: 456: 454: 452: 450: 448: 446: 434: 432: 430: 428: 426: 424: 422: 419: 418: 416: 414: 412: 410: 408: 406: 404: 402: 400: 398: 395: 394: 392: 390: 388: 386: 384: 382: 380: 378: 376: 374: 372: 370: 368: 366: 364: 362: 360: 358: 356: 354: 352: 349: 347: 346: 334: 332: 330: 328: 326: 324: 322: 320: 318: 316: 314: 312: 305: 304: 299: 296: 294: 293: 286: 281: 278: 276: 275: 226: 223: 192:promagistrates 155: 152: 75:Gaius Octavius 51: 48: 32:Roman Republic 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1341: 1330: 1327: 1325: 1322: 1320: 1317: 1315: 1312: 1310: 1307: 1305: 1302: 1300: 1297: 1296: 1294: 1282: 1278: 1271: 1270: 1266: 1260:87 BC 1258: 1257: 1250: 1246: 1240: 1235: 1229: 1225: 1222: 1218: 1215: 1212: 1208: 1205: 1202: 1198: 1195: 1191: 1190: 1186: 1177: 1174: 1168: 1165: 1159: 1156: 1150: 1147: 1141: 1138: 1132: 1129: 1123: 1120: 1114: 1111: 1105: 1102: 1096: 1093: 1087: 1084: 1078: 1075: 1071: 1068:Rüpke (ed.), 1065: 1062: 1056: 1053: 1047: 1044: 1038: 1035: 1029: 1026: 1020: 1017: 1011: 1007: 1004: 1003: 999: 997: 991: 986: 981: 963: 961: 937: 935: 930: 924: 923: 903: 898: 885: 880: 874: 872: 826: 824: 819: 816: 811: 793: 788: 775: 770: 764: 761: 749: 747: 746: 719: 713: 711: 705: 703: 698: 696: 692: 687: 674: 669: 656: 651: 639: 636: 624: 622: 621: 600: 594: 592: 586: 584: 573: 571: 566: 561: 542: 537: 519: 517: 473: 471: 467: 462: 443: 438: 420: 417: 399: 397: 396: 389: 381: 379: 369: 367: 350: 348: 343: 338: 310: 303: 300: 295: 290: 287: 285: 282: 277: 272: 269: 268: 265: 259: 254: 252: 248: 244: 239: 237: 233: 224: 222: 220: 216: 212: 207: 205: 199: 197: 193: 189: 185: 181: 176: 173: 169: 165: 161: 153: 151: 149: 145: 140: 138: 133: 129: 125: 120: 118: 114: 110: 106: 102: 98: 97:propraetorial 94: 90: 85: 83: 80: 76: 72: 68: 64: 60: 57: 49: 47: 45: 42:by Cinna and 41: 37: 33: 29: 25: 24:Roman senator 21: 1319:Octavii Rufi 1304:87 BC deaths 1281:Gaius Marius 1263: 1256:Roman consul 1254: 1227: 1220: 1210: 1200: 1193: 1180:Smith, pg. 8 1176: 1167: 1158: 1149: 1140: 1131: 1122: 1113: 1104: 1095: 1086: 1077: 1069: 1064: 1055: 1046: 1037: 1028: 1019: 1006:Octavia gens 995: 920: 897:Cn. Octavius 769:Cn. Octavius 768: 650:Cn. Octavius 536:Cn. Octavius 437:Cn. Octavius 263: 240: 228: 208: 200: 177: 157: 141: 137:Roman tribes 132:conservative 128:Gaius Marius 121: 86: 59:gens Octavia 53: 50:Early career 44:Gaius Marius 19: 18: 980:M. Octavius 931:27 BC–AD 14 925:(Augustus) 922:C. Octavius 879:L. Octavius 810:C. Octavius 787:M. Octavius 686:C. Octavius 668:M. Octavius 560:C. Octavius 461:C. Octavius 219:Alban Hills 168:Roman Forum 1293:Categories 1217:Jörg Rüpke 1187:References 172:supporters 105:popularist 1329:Optimates 1072:, p. 818. 1012:Footnotes 929:imp. ROM. 344:c. 230 BC 204:Janiculum 101:provinces 1000:See also 691:magistr. 565:tr. mil. 243:Plutarch 107:senator 82:Augustus 56:Plebeian 815:procos. 792:tr. pl. 673:tr. pl. 284:Emperor 93:Praetor 79:emperor 30:of the 1262:With: 1203:(1982) 1196:(2002) 675:133 BC 657:128 BC 567:216 BC 543:165 BC 444:205 BC 302:Consul 274:Orange 264:Legend 236:Rostra 89:aedile 28:consul 987:50 BC 904:76 BC 886:75 BC 820:60 BC 776:87 BC 292:Green 113:Sulla 985:aed. 902:cos. 884:cos. 818:MAC. 774:cos. 655:cos. 541:cos. 213:and 188:Nola 124:Rome 40:Rome 466:eq. 442:pr. 186:at 1295:: 1209:, 342:q. 238:. 150:. 84:. 46:.

Index

Roman senator
consul
Roman Republic
Lucius Cornelius Cinna
Rome
Gaius Marius
Plebeian
gens Octavia
Gnaeus Octavius
Marcus Octavius
Tiberius Gracchus
Gaius Octavius
emperor
Augustus
aedile
Praetor
propraetorial
provinces
popularist
Lucius Cornelius Cinna
Sulla
First Mithridatic War
Rome
Gaius Marius
conservative
Roman tribes
decemviri sacris faciundis
Sibylline books
Plebeian tribunes
Tribal Assembly

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