Lucius Valerius Flaccus
|
|
At least four notable Romans were named Lucius Valerius Flaccus.
| Contents |
Consul in 195 BC
The first L. Valerius Flaccus, an associate of Cato the Elder, was curule aedile in 201 BC, praetor in Sicily in 199, and consul with Cato in 195. Flaccus defeated the Boii and Insubrians during his consulship, then in 191 was legate at Thermopylae. As triumvir in 190, he helped defend Placentia and Cremona and founded Bononia. He was elected censor along with Cato in 184 and princeps senatus when Scipio Africanus Major died, before himself dying in 180. Politically, Flaccus was a conservative and joined Cato in the role of defending Roman tradition against Hellenism.
Persons named "L. Valerius Flaccus" are listed as consul in 152 BC and 131 BC.
Consul in 100 BC
Another L. Valerius Flaccus was consul in 100 BC along with Gaius Marius; Rutilius Rufus characterized Flaccus as "more slave than colleague" however. As censor in 97, he noted for helping enrol more Italians as citizens. He was made princeps senatus in 86, and worked for agreement with Sulla, eventually joining his party and securing Sulla's election as dictator, for which Flaccus was rewarded with the post of magister equitum. Flaccus does not appear further, and is presumed to have died soon after.
Consul in 86 BC
Another L. Valerius Flaccus was aedile in 98 BC, but prosecuted (unsuccessfully) afterwards by Decianus. Flaccus was then praetor, then governor of Asia. He was a suffect consul in 86, taking command against Mithridates, passing a law cancelling three-quarters of all debts, and leaving for Asia. He was murdered in a mutiny by Fimbria.
Praetor
The previous Flaccus' son was also L. Valerius Flaccus (d. 54 BC). He served in Asia under his father, but fled to his uncle Gaius, who was in Gaul. He later served as military tribune in Cilicia, quaestor in Spain under Piso, a legate of Metellus in Crete. As urban praetor he was with Cicero in the Conspiracy of Catiline, and then governor in Asia. In 59 Cicero defended him in a speech. Flaccus was then a legate of a later Piso, in Macedonia.de:Lucius Valerius Flaccus