Plotius Firmus Explained

Plotius Firmus (fl. 1st century AD) was a Roman knight and senator who flourished in the sixties of the first century AD. He started his career in the army as a simple soldier, and in 69 AD, during the reign of Galba he was praefectus vigilum in Rome, helping Otho to oust the emperor.[1] After Galba's seizure of power, he was acclaimed by the soldiers praefectus praetorio, and remained quite popular with the military.[1] After Otho's defeat at Bedriacum he encouraged the depressed Emperor who wanted to quit his power to persevere.[1] Despite that, Otho killed himself, and Plotius found him in his chamber lying in his blood.[1] After the suicide of his patron, Plotius tried to rapproach himself with Vitellius, but was prevented to do that by his soldiers.[1] It cannot be excluded that he managed to be pardoned later, but after the end of the 69 AD crisis there are two possible hypotheses: he could either have been the adoptive father or father of C. Tullius Capito Pomponianus Plotius Firmus,[1] or under Vespasian he could have been adopted by the senator Gaius Tullius Capito Pomponianus, taking himself the name Gaius Tullius Capito Pomponianus Plotius Firmus. Thereby he gained entry into the ordo senatorius, and was immediately sent to the military district of Numidia as legate of the Legio III Augusta.[2]

In 84, he was appointed consul suffectus for the nundinum from September to October 84.[3]

References

  1. Klass (1951)
  2. His activity is proven through several termini (Roman border markers) between two pagi of the Cirta Colony:
    • AE 1969/70, 696, Ain Abid (Algeria: Ex au(c)torit(ate) / Imp(eratoris) Vespasia(ni) / Cae(saris) Aug(usti) agr(i) / pub(lici) Cir(tensium) ad(signati) Sub/urb(uribus) Reg(ianis) et / Nicibibus per / Tul(l)ium Pom/ponianum / Capitonem / leg(atum) Aug(usti)
    • AE 1957, 175, Ain el Bordj (Algeria): [Ex auctorit(ate) Imp(eratoris)] / [V]es(pasiani) Caesar(is) / Aug(usti) agri pu[b]/lici Cirt(ensium) adsig/(nati) Nicibibus et S/uburburibus / Regi(anis) per Tulliu(m) Pomponianu(m) / Capitone(m) / leg(atum) Aug(usti)
    • AE 2017, 1701, Ain el Bordj (Algeria): [Ex auctoritate Imp(eratoris) V]es(pasiani) Caesar[is] / Aug(usti) agri pub/lici Cirt(ensium) adsig(nati) / Nicibibus et S/uburburibus / Regi(anis) per Tulliu(m) / Pomponianu(m) / Capitone(m) / leg(atum) Aug(usti)
    • AE 2017, 1701, Ouled Gouam (Algeria): Ex au(c)toritate / Imp(eratoris) Vespasia(ni) / Cae(saris) Aug(usti) agr(i) / pub(lici) Cir(tensium) ads(ignati) Sub/urb(uribus) Reg(ianis) et / Nicibibus per / Tul(l)ium Pom/ponianum / Capitonem / leg(atum) Aug(usti)
  3. This is indicated by the inscriptions:
    • CIL XIV 244, 245, 4531, 4532, 4532a, 4533, 4534, 4535, 4536, 4537, 4538, 4539, 4540, 4542, 4543, 4544, 4546, 5354, 5355 = AE 1917/18, 122 = AE 1922, 94 = AE 1924, 111 = AE 1928, 126 = AE 1933, 30 = AE 1934, 97 = AE 1934, 98 = AE 1934, 99 = AE 1936, 97 = AE 1936, 98 = AE 1936, 99 = AE 1937, 10 = AE 1938, 150 = AE 1939, 52 = AE 1940, 92 = AE 1940, 93 = AE 1945, 33 = AE 1945, 34 = AE 1945, 36 = AE 1945, 37 = AE 1946, 169 = AE 1946, 204 = AE 1949, 23 = AE 1949, 64 = AE 1954, 123 = AE 1949, 23 = AE 1949, 64 = AE 1954, 221 = AE 1954, 222 = AE 1954, 223 = AE 1955, 120 = AE 1956, 32 = AE 1956, 132 = AE 1968, 6 = AE 1975, 130 = AE 1975, 131 = AE 1975, 132 = AE 1978, 60 = AE 1980, 183 = AE 1994, 330 = AE 1997, 256 = AE 1998, 408 = AE 2001, 620 = AE 2005, 305, Ostia Antica (Italia):(...) [84] -----

Sources

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Plotius Firmus".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.