Marc Livy Druz (consul 112 BC)

Origin

Mark Livy belonged to the plebeian clan Liviev , distinguished in the II century BC. e. both by its nobility and wealth ^[1] . Cognomen Druz ( Drusus ) is of Celtic origin, and Libya wore it from the IV century BC. e. ^[2] Marc Livy’s male grandfather was born by patrician Emilius , who was adopted by Mark Livy Salinator , consul of 219 and 207 BC. e. (This was the first adoption of a patrician plebeian ^[3] ). In historiography, there is no consensus on which branch of Emiliev this nobil belonged to. The German anti-historian Friedrich Münzer suggested that this was the son of Lucius Emilia Paul , Salinator’s colleague in the first consulate who died at Cannes ^[4] . According to G. Sumner, it could be the son of Mania Emilia Numida; in this case, Mark Livy Druz was a cousin of Marcus Emilius Lepidus , consul of 158 BC. e. ^[5]

The son of Mark Livius Emilian and the father of Mark Livius Druze became consul in 147 BC. e. ^[6] and unsuccessfully contested with his hypothetical cousin Scipio Emilian the leadership of the siege of Carthage ^[7] . Guy Livy had a daughter, the wife of Publius Rutilius Rufus ^[8] , and two sons. The eldest son was blind and therefore could not have a political career ^{[9] [10]} ; the future of the family turned out to be connected with the second son - Mark Livy ^[11] .

The early years

Mark Tullius Cicero in his treatise "On the limits of good and evil" calls Mark Livius "almost the same age" as Guy Sempronius Gracchus ^[12] , born in 154 BC. e. or at the beginning of the year 153 ^{[13] [14]} . According to F. Münzer, Druz could be several years older ^[15] ; G. Sumner dates the birth of Mark Livius allegedly 155 BC. e. ^[16] Perhaps in his youth, Druz belonged to the “Scipio circle”, whose members were united by family and friendships, a love of Greek culture and plans for moderate reforms ^[11] , but was first mentioned in sources only under 122 BC. e. as a people's tribune (seven years have passed since the death of Scipio Emilian by that time) ^{[15] [17]} . At the same time, historiography notes that because of his origin and wealth, Mark Livy could only belong to a conservative “party”. His wife was the patrician Cornelia; this could mean proximity to the Scipio family, whose representatives led the movement against the reform of the Gracchus brothers ^[15] .

Tribunate

Among Druze's colleagues was Guy Sempronius Gracchus , who was selected a second time, who, in the previous year, had begun a series of radical transformations. Mark Livy may have been originally put forward by Gracchus' enemies to counter these reforms ^{[15] [11]} . True, Plutarch claims that representatives of the Senate “party” turned to Druz after his election ^[1] , but the Greek writer could distort the overall picture ^[18] . Between the two stands there could be not only political, but also personal contradictions: this is allegedly indicated ^[15] by Plutarch ’s message about the reproach addressed to Druz Guy Sempronius when the latter “bought silver dolphins for one thousand two hundred drachmas for every pound of weight” ^[19] .

Taking advantage of the right not to explain the reasons for the acts directed against his colleague in the position, Mark Livy in every possible way impeded the implementation of the Gracchus bills ^[20] . At the same time, he applied a new tactic: he proposed his own reforms, which looked even more radical, but in practice were poorly implemented. This was done to reduce the popularity of Guy Sempronius ^[1] . So, in response to the Gracchus bill establishing two colonies in which settlers, “the most worthy citizens,” were supposed to pay a small rent in favor of the state, Druz proposed withdrawing twelve colonies for three thousand people each, without any payments. The corresponding law was adopted, and as a result, Guy Sempronius became much less popular ^{[20] [21]} . To neutralize the offer of Guy Sempronius to grant citizenship to the Italians , Druz achieved a ban on corporal punishment for the latter, even during military service ^[22] . This measure earned him popularity, because it cost citizens nothing. Gracchus’s bill may not have been passed because of the veto of Mark Livius ^{[23] [24]} . In his speeches before the national assembly, Druz repeated that he acts with the approval of the Senate and Nobility, and thanks to this he was able to improve the attitude of the people to the aristocracy ^[18] .

Mark Livy actively attacked the prominent Gracenian Mark Fulvius Flaccus , who was charged with inciting the Italians to armed rebellion and the murder of Scipio Emilian. The news that “Druz is pushing Fulvia” even forced Gracchus to return prematurely from a trip to Africa , where he was organizing the colony of Junonia ^[25] . The result of the activities of Druze was a significant strengthening of the Senate "party". Guy Gracchus, whose popularity declined, could not achieve his re-election to 121 BC. e. and soon perished ^[18] .

In connection with his activities as a tribune, Mark Livy received the honorary nickname “patron senate” ^[26] (later called his son, and between the two Druzes - Quintus Servilius Cepion ^[18] ). Later, some prominent opponents of the Gracchus became victims of prosecution, but Druz did not appear in such processes and was able to pursue a career ^[27] .

Higher Masters

One of Cicero’s letters mentions the praetor of the city of Druz , in which a law was passed on the promise of a mandatory oath promise to be kept for the slave to keep certain obligations with respect to the former owner ^[28] . Probably, we are talking about the Mark of Libya, and his praeture should refer at the latest to 115 BC. e. ^[27] : this follows from the provisions of the Willia Act ^[29] . Pseudo- Aurelius Victor claims that after the praeture Druz was governor of the province of Africa ^[30] , but this is a clear mistake ^[18] .

In 112 BC e. Druz became consul. His colleague was another plebeian, Lucius Calpurnius Pison Caesonin ^[31] . There is an assumption that, as consul, Mark Livy continued the work begun in 122 BC. e. agrarian reform, but F. Münzer considers this hypothesis insufficiently substantiated ^[32] . Druz became governor of the province of Macedonia , where a great war broke out with the Thracians and Skordisk . Only ^{[32] a} few laconic reports of ancient authors about this war ^{[33] [34] were} preserved. During two campaigns (111-110 BC), Mark Livy defeated the enemy, and then transferred the province to the consul 110 BC. e. To Mark Minucius Rufus , when the war was not over yet. Nevertheless, upon returning to Rome, he received a triumph , the third for the Livian clan ^[35] , and was elected censor along with patrician Mark Emilius Skavr (109 BC). Mark Livy died while still in this position ^{[36] [32]} .

Mark Livy was married to the patrician Cornelius (it is not known which branch of Cornelius she belonged to) ^[11] . In this marriage three children were born. Of the two sons, the eldest, judging by the name, was Mark Livy Druz , a well-known reformer, tribune in 91 BC. e. The second son was given for adoption to Emilia and received the name Mamerk Emilius Lepidus Livian ; he was one of the consuls of 77 BC. e. Finally, Mark had a daughter, Libya , in the first marriage, the wife of Quintus Servilius Cepion , and in the second, the wife of Mark Portia Cato Salonian the Younger ^{[37] [38]} . Through his daughter, Mark Livy was the grandfather of Mark Portia Cato Utica and the great-grandfather of Mark Junius Brutus .

Mark Livy, according to Cicero, possessed "both the power of speech and strength of character" ^[39] . Diodor of Sicily calls him “the man of the highest distinctions, whose nobility and virtue won him the special love of his fellow citizens,” speaks of generosity, “extreme reliability” and conscientiousness of Druze ^[40] . Presumably, this assessment goes back to Posidonius ^[32] . In addition, Diodorus cites a historical joke characterizing both Mark Livius and his son:

The Druze family had great influence due to the nobility of its members, the goodwill and courtesy that they expressed to their fellow citizens. Therefore, when a law was proposed and just received general recognition, one citizen made a humorous addition: “this law is mandatory for all citizens - except for two Druze.”

- Diodorus of Sicily, XXXVII, 10, 2. ^[41]

Guy Papyri Carbon Arvin , speaking in 91 BC e. criticizing the bills of Druze Jr., he appealed to the authority of his father: “O Mark Druz! ... You always said that the republic is sacred, and whoever encroaches on it, it must be punished by all. The wise word of the father is confirmed by the recklessness of his son ” ^[42] .

Original

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5. Capitoline fasts (neopr.) . Site "History of Ancient Rome". Date of treatment October 27, 2015.
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11. Mark Tullius Cicero. About the limits of good and evil // About the limits of good and evil. Paradoxes of the Stoics. - M .: Publishing House of the Russian State Humanitarian University, 2000. - P. 41-242. - ISBN 5-7281-0387-1 .
12. Mark Tullius Cicero. Letters from Mark Tullius Cicero to Attica, relatives, brother Quintus, M. Brutus. - SPb. : Nauka, 2010 .-- V. 3 .-- 832 p. - ISBN 978-5-02-025247-9 , 978-5-02-025244-8.
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Secondary Sources

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13. Sumner G. Orators in Cicero's Brutus: prosopography and chronology. - Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1973.- 197 p. - ISBN 9780802052810 .

• Mark Livy Druz (consul 112 BC) (Russian) . - biography on the site ancientrome.ru .