Digital Prosopography of the Roman Republic

OCTA1356 Cn. Octavius (17) Cn. f. Cn. n.

Status

  • Novus Expand

    Cic. Off. 1.39.138; Cic. Phil. 9.4

Life Dates

  • 209?, birth (Rüpke 2005) Expand

    Shortly after 210

  • 162, death - violent (Broughton MRR I) Expand

    Murdered, in Syria.

Relationships

son of
? Cn. Octavius (16) (pr. 205) (Badian 1990)
father of
? -. Octavius (7 = ?17) Cn. f. (pr.? C2?) (Brennan 2000)
? M. Octavius (31) (tr. pl. 133) (Zmeskal 2009)
? Cn. Octavius (18) Cn. f. Cn. n. (cos. 128) (Zmeskal 2009)

Career

  • Aedilis Curulis 172 (Broughton MRR I) Expand
    • This aedileship is tentatively dated in 172 rather than in 170 by Seidel (38) and Münzer (RE) because of his associations with Popillius, the Consul of this year. (Broughton MRR I)
    • Fest. 188 L. (Broughton MRR I)
  • Legatus (Envoy) 169 (Broughton MRR I) Expand
    • Sent about the Greek communities by Hostilius to strengthen their attachment to the Roman side (Polyb. 28.3-5; Liv. 43.17.2-9). Popillius was placed in command of Ambracia (43.17.10). See Lübker no. 3. (Broughton MRR I)
    • Cos. 165. Leg., envoy 170-168. See MRR 1.426, no. b. He was sent late in 170 along with C. Popillius Laenas (18), by the Consul, A. Hostilius Mancinus, to visit the Greek cities and strengthen their attachment to the Roman side, and was honored in a decree of Argos. Both envoys returned early in 169 to Hostilius, then proconsul. See P. Charneux, BCH 81, 1957, 181-202; and on the dating, see below on C. Popillius Laenas (18). Cos. 172. Praetor 168. He was honored by Echinus while in command of the fleet in the war with Perseus (Aepig. 1971, no. 450; see MRR 1.428; J. M. Reynolds, JRS 66, 1976, 178). (Broughton MRR III)
  • Decemvir Sacris Faciundis 169 to 162 (Rüpke 2005) Expand
    • Cn. Octavius succeeded M. Claudius Marcellus. Liv. 44.18.7; Fest. 188 L. (Broughton MRR I)
  • Praetor 168 fleet, Achaea (Broughton MRR I) Expand
    • Election Liv. 44.17.5 Provinces and armies Liv. 44.17.9-10. (Broughton MRR I)
    • p. 735, footnote 101 (Brennan 2000)
  • Propraetor 167 Macedonia (Broughton MRR I) Expand
    • Propraetor in command of the fleet (Act. Tr. Cap. and Urbisalv., Degrassi 80f., 338f., 556). He transported Aemilius Paullus' army and booty home and celebrated a naval triumph (Liv. 45.28.8, 29.3, 33.7, 35.4-5, and 42.2-3; Act. Tr. Cap. and Urbisalv.; Diod. 31.8.9; Vell. 1.9.5-6; Plin. 34.13; Fest. 188 L; cf. SIG 650). He built the Portious Octavia and a house on the Palatine (Cic. Off. 1.138; Vell. 2.1.2; Plin. NH 34.13; Fest. 188 L; cf. Res Gest. D. Aug. 19). (Broughton MRR I)
  • Triumphator 167 (Rich 2014) Expand
    • Naval Triumph ex Macedonia et rege Perse. MRR I.434, Itgenshorst no. 201, Rich no. 200. (Rich 2014)
  • Consul 165 (Broughton MRR I) Expand
    • Cic. Fin. 1.24; Fast. Cap., Degrassi 50f., 123, 460f.; Obseq. 13; Chr. 354; Fast. Hyd.; Chr. Pasc.; Cassiod.; cf. Didasc. Ter. Hec.; and on Octavius, Fest. 188 L. See Holleaux, {Gr}. 157f.; BCH 54 (1930) 10f., 39; Daux, Delphes 352f. (Broughton MRR I)
  • Legatus (Ambassador) 163 Syria, Macedonia, Galatia, Cappadocia, Aegyptus (Broughton MRR I) Expand
    • Pliny (NH 34.24) has confused this embassy with that of C. Popillius Laenas (see 168), and has Octavius play a similar role. (Broughton MRR I)
    • Sent to the East with instructions to disarm Syria, now ruled by the minor son of Antiochus IV, burn the warships and hamstring the elephants, and to survey the situation in Macedonia, Galatia, and Cappadocia, also to reconcile the two Ptolemies in Alexandria (Polyb. 31.2.9-14, and 8.4-8; Cic. Phil. 9.4; App. Syr. 46; cf. Durrbach and Roussel, I. de Délos 3.1429, on Octavius' offering at Delos; also Holleaux, {Gr}. 157f.). See 162, Legates. (Broughton MRR I)
  • Legatus (Ambassador) 162 Syria, Macedonia, Galatia, Cappadocia, Aegyptus (Broughton MRR I) Expand
    • While they were in Syria Octavius was killed by Leptines of Laodiceia (Polyb. 31.11.1, 12.4, and 33.5; 32.2.1-8, 3.1-3, and 10-13; Cic. Phil. 9.4, and 7, and 14; Diod. 31.29; Plin. NH 34.24; App. Syr. 46-47; Obseq. 15; Zon. 9.25). (Broughton MRR I)

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