Home > Aulus Gabinius

In 67 BC, when tribune of the plebs, he brought forward the law ( Lex Gabinia ) which gave Pompey the command in the war against the Mediterranean pirates, with extensive powers that gave him absolute control over the sea and the coasts for 50 miles inland. By two other measures of Gabinius, loans of money to foreign ambassadors in Rome were made non- actionable (as a check on the corruption of the senate) and the senate was ordered to give audience to foreign envoys on certain fixed days ( February 1 - March 1).

In 61 Gabinius, then praetorAccording to Cicero, Praetor was a title which designated the consuls as the leaders of the armies of the state; and he considers the word to contain the same elemental parts as the verb praeire (praeeo: "to go before, to precede, to lead the way"). The p, tried to win public favour by providing games on a scale of unusual splendour, and in 58Centuries: 2nd century BC 1st century BC 1st century Decades: 100s BC 90s BC 80s BC 70s BC 60s BC 50s BC 40s BC 30s BC 20s BC 10s BC 0s BC Years: 63 BC 62 BC 61 BC 60 BC 59 BC 58 BC 57 BC 56 BC 55 BC 54 BC 53 BC Events First year of Julius Caesar's Gallic managed to secure the consulFor modern diplomatic consuls see Consulate general. Consul (abbrev. was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire. Under the Republic, the minimum age of election to consul for patricians was 40 years of aship, not without suspicion of briberyBribery is the practice of offering a professional money or other favours in order to circumvent ethics in a variety of professions. It is a form of corruption and is generally illegal, or at least cause for penalties from professional organisations.. During his term of office he aided Publius Clodius in bringing about the exile of CiceroFor other uses see Cicero (disambiguation Marcus Tullius Cicero ( January 3, 106 BC December 7, 43 BC) was an orator and statesman of Ancient Rome, and is generally considered the greatest Latin prose stylist. Biography Cicero was born in Arpinum and caug. In 57Centuries: 2nd century BC 1st century BC 1st century Decades: 100s BC 90s BC 80s BC 70s BC 60s BC 50s BC 40s BC 30s BC 20s BC 10s BC 0s BC Years: 62 BC 61 BC 60 BC 59 BC 58 BC 57 BC 56 BC 55 BC 54 BC 53 BC 52 BC Events Ajodhya was restored by King Vikrama Gabinius went as proconsul to SyriaThe Syrian Arab Republic is a country in Southwest Asia, bordering (from south to north) on Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Turkey. The border with Israel is subject to dispute, pending the resolution of outstanding conflicts over possession of the Gola. On his arrival he reinstated Hyrcanus in the high-priesthood at Jerusalem, suppressed revolts, introduced important changes in the government of Judaea, and rebuilt several towns.

During his absence in Egypt, where he had been sent by Pompey, without the consent of the senate, to restore Ptolemy Auletes to his kingdom, Syria had been devastated by robbers, and Alexander, son of Aristobulus, had again taken up arms with the object of depriving Hyrcanus of the high-priesthood. With some difficulty Gabinius restored order, and in 54 handed over the province to his successor, Marcus Licinius Crassus. The knights, who as farmers of the taxes had suffered heavy losses during the disturbances in Syria, were greatly embittered against Gabinius, and, when he appeared in the senate to give an account of his governorship, he was brought to trial on three counts, all involving a capital offence.

On the charge of majestas ( high treason) incurred by having left his province for Egypt without the consent of the senate and in defiance of the Sibylline books, he was acquitted; it is said that the judges were bribed, and even Cicero, an enemy of Gabinius, was persuaded by Pompey to say as little as he could. On the second charge, that of repetundae (extortion during the administration of his province), with special reference to the 10,000 talents paid by Ptolemy for his restoration, he was found guilty, in spite of evidence offered on his behalf by Pompey and witnesses from Alexandria and the eloquence of Cicero, who had been induced to plead his cause. Nothing but Cicero's wish to do a favour to Pompey could have induced him to take on the task; it is hinted that the haif-heartedness of the defence contributed to Gabinius 's condemnation. The third charge, that of ainbitus (illegalities committed during his canvass for the consulship), was consequently dropped; Gabinius went into exile, and his property was confiscated.

After the outbreak of the civil war, he was recalled by Caesar in 49 BC, and entered his service, but took no active part against his old patron Pompey. After the Battle of Pharsalus, he was commissioned to transport some recently levied troops to Illyricum. On his way thither by land, he was attacked by the Dalmatians and with difficulty made his way to Salonae (Dalmatia). Here he bravely defended himself against the attacks of the Pompeian commander, Marcus Octavius , but in a few months died of illness (48 or the beginning of 47).

(I think parts of this were lifted from the 1911 encyclopedia)