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Titus Labienus
Titus Labienus (c. 100 BC – 17 March 45 BC) was a high-ranking military officer in the late Roman Republic. He served as tribune of the Plebs in 63 BC. Although mostly remembered as one of Julius Caesar's best lieutenants in Gaul and mentioned frequently in the accounts of his military campaigns, Labienus chose to oppose him during the Civil War and was killed at Munda. He was the father of Quintus Labienus.
As his praetorship was in 60 or 59 BC, Titus Labienus most likely was born around 100 BC. Many sources suggest that he came from the town of Cingulum in Picenum. His family was of equestrian status. He most likely had early ties with Pompey during his time as a patron for Picenum, also because of his desire to rise in military ranks. His early service was c. 78–75 BC in Cilicia under Publius Servilius Vatia Isauricus fighting pirates and the Isaurian hill tribes.
In 63 BC, Titus Labienus was a tribune of the Plebs with close ties to Pompey. Gaius Julius Caesar was also working closely with Pompey and therefore he and Labienus occasionally cooperated. These interactions were the seed that eventually developed into a friendship between Labienus and Caesar.
At Caesar's instigation, Labienus accused Gaius Rabirius of high treason (perduellio) for the murder of the tribune Lucius Appuleius Saturninus and of his uncle Titus Labienus in 100 BC[clarification needed]. The purpose of this trial was to discredit the so-called "final decree of the Senate" (senatus consultum ultimum), an emergency measure of the senate commonly used against the Populares and the Roman assemblies. Labienus used the antiquated procedure of the duumviri, used in the early republic, against Rabirius. The procedure bypassed normal criminal law and Rabirius would be tried without defense. Since tribunes were sacrosanct, it was seen as an act against the gods to kill one. Thus punishment of the culprit was seen as more of a cleansing to appease the gods. The killing was seen as a pollution so profound that a normal criminal trial was unnecessary and immediate cleansing was necessary to avoid the wrath of the gods. The duumviri were assigned to accuse under the pretense of obvious guilt and cleanse the culprit through scourging.
Rabirius appealed to the Centuriate Assembly and Cicero spoke in his defense. However, before the assembly could vote, Metellus Celer used his powers as an augur to claim the sightings of bad omens and take down the flag in Janiculum. That postponed the trial. Rabirius was ultimately sentenced to exile, as he was unable to pay an unreasonable fine.
In the same year, Labienus carried a plebiscite returning the elections of the pontifices to the people. That indirectly secured for Caesar the dignity of pontifex Maximus, by his act of supporting Labienus in this cause (Dio Cassius xxxvii. 37).
Labienus was more a soldier than politician and primarily used his office as a gateway to secure himself positions of high military command. After his term as tribune, Labienus served as Caesar's legate (second-in-command) in Gaul and so he took Caesar's place whenever he was out of Gaul.
As Caesar's senior legate during his campaign in Gaul, Labienus was the only legate mentioned by name in Caesar's writings about his first campaign. He was a skilled cavalry commander.
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Titus Labienus
Titus Labienus (c. 100 BC – 17 March 45 BC) was a high-ranking military officer in the late Roman Republic. He served as tribune of the Plebs in 63 BC. Although mostly remembered as one of Julius Caesar's best lieutenants in Gaul and mentioned frequently in the accounts of his military campaigns, Labienus chose to oppose him during the Civil War and was killed at Munda. He was the father of Quintus Labienus.
As his praetorship was in 60 or 59 BC, Titus Labienus most likely was born around 100 BC. Many sources suggest that he came from the town of Cingulum in Picenum. His family was of equestrian status. He most likely had early ties with Pompey during his time as a patron for Picenum, also because of his desire to rise in military ranks. His early service was c. 78–75 BC in Cilicia under Publius Servilius Vatia Isauricus fighting pirates and the Isaurian hill tribes.
In 63 BC, Titus Labienus was a tribune of the Plebs with close ties to Pompey. Gaius Julius Caesar was also working closely with Pompey and therefore he and Labienus occasionally cooperated. These interactions were the seed that eventually developed into a friendship between Labienus and Caesar.
At Caesar's instigation, Labienus accused Gaius Rabirius of high treason (perduellio) for the murder of the tribune Lucius Appuleius Saturninus and of his uncle Titus Labienus in 100 BC[clarification needed]. The purpose of this trial was to discredit the so-called "final decree of the Senate" (senatus consultum ultimum), an emergency measure of the senate commonly used against the Populares and the Roman assemblies. Labienus used the antiquated procedure of the duumviri, used in the early republic, against Rabirius. The procedure bypassed normal criminal law and Rabirius would be tried without defense. Since tribunes were sacrosanct, it was seen as an act against the gods to kill one. Thus punishment of the culprit was seen as more of a cleansing to appease the gods. The killing was seen as a pollution so profound that a normal criminal trial was unnecessary and immediate cleansing was necessary to avoid the wrath of the gods. The duumviri were assigned to accuse under the pretense of obvious guilt and cleanse the culprit through scourging.
Rabirius appealed to the Centuriate Assembly and Cicero spoke in his defense. However, before the assembly could vote, Metellus Celer used his powers as an augur to claim the sightings of bad omens and take down the flag in Janiculum. That postponed the trial. Rabirius was ultimately sentenced to exile, as he was unable to pay an unreasonable fine.
In the same year, Labienus carried a plebiscite returning the elections of the pontifices to the people. That indirectly secured for Caesar the dignity of pontifex Maximus, by his act of supporting Labienus in this cause (Dio Cassius xxxvii. 37).
Labienus was more a soldier than politician and primarily used his office as a gateway to secure himself positions of high military command. After his term as tribune, Labienus served as Caesar's legate (second-in-command) in Gaul and so he took Caesar's place whenever he was out of Gaul.
As Caesar's senior legate during his campaign in Gaul, Labienus was the only legate mentioned by name in Caesar's writings about his first campaign. He was a skilled cavalry commander.