View source for Marcus Junius Silanus (consul 109 BC)

{{Short description|Ancient Roman statesman and general}}
'''Marcus Junius D. f. D. n. Silanus''' was a member of the [[Junia (gens)|Junii Silani]], a noble Roman family, who held the [[Roman consul|consulship]] in 109 BC.<ref>{{cite book|first=Friedrich|last=Münzer|authorlink=Friedrich Münzer|chapter=Iunius 169|title=[[Realencyclopädie der Classischen Altertumswissenschaft]]|volume=X,1|year=1918|at=col. 1093}}</ref>
== Biography ==
Because there are only a few and short sources about the history of the [[Roman Republic]] in the second half of the second century BC, we have to rely on suppositions as to which public offices Silanus held before his consulate. In 145 BC, he was perhaps one of the three magistrates who administered the Roman [[mint (coin)|mint]]. He is probably identical with the [[Tribune|tribune of the people]] ''Marcus Junius D. f.'', who introduced in 124 or 123 BC, a law against exploitative Roman governors (''lex Iunia''), which preceded the ''lex Acilia repetundarum'' of the tribune Manius Acilius Glabrio (123 or 122 BC). In 113 or 112 BC, Silanus was perhaps [[praetor]] in Spain.<ref>{{cite book|first=Karl-Ludwig|last=Elvers|authorlink=Karl-Ludwig Elvers|chapter=Iunius [I 32]|title=[[Der neue Pauly]]|volume=6|year=1999|at=col. 65}}</ref>
In 109 BC, Silanus became the first member of his family, the ''Junii Silani'', to be elected consul. He held this highest public office together with [[Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus]], who had to continue the war against [[Jugurtha]], king of Numidia, whereas Silanus undertook to fight against the [[Cimbri]]. To increase the power of [[Rome]], Silanus abolished exemptions from military service.<ref>[[Asconius Pedianus|Asconius]], p. 68 ed. Clark</ref> Probably before their battle with the consul the traveling Cimbri had asked to be given a domicile on Roman territory, but the [[Roman Senate|Senate]] had declined their request.{{efn|This opinion holds [[Florus]] (''Roman history'' 1.38.2), whereas the [[epitome of Livy]] ([[Livy]], ''[[Ab Urbe Condita Libri (Livy)|Ab Urbe Condita Libri]]'', book 65) seems to have made a mistake with its assertion that the Cimbri asked for a place to settle only after their victory over Silanus.}} Then Silanus attacked the Cimbri, but he was defeated in an uncertain location in Gallia Transalpina.{{efn|Livy, ''[[epitome of Livy|epitome]]'' of book 65; Florus, ''Roman history'' 1.38.2-4; [[Marcus Velleius Paterculus]], ''Compendium of Roman history'' 2.12.2; Asconius, p. 68 ed. Clark; [[Eutropius (historian)|Eutropius]] (''Abridgement of Roman history'' 4.27.3) wrongly claims that Silanus had won the battle.}}
In 104 BC, the [[tribune of the plebs|tribune of the people]] [[Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus (consul 96 BC)|Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus]] put Silanus on trial for his military failure, but the former consul was acquitted.<ref>[[Cicero]], ''[[Divinatio in Caecilium]]'' 67; ''in Verrem actio'' 2.118; Asconius, p. 80 ed. Clark</ref>
==See also==
* [[Junia (gens)]]
== Notes ==
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== References ==
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* {{cite book|first=Friedrich|last=Münzer|authorlink=Friedrich Münzer|chapter=Iunius 169|title=[[Realencyclopädie der Classischen Altertumswissenschaft]]|volume=X,1|year=1918|at=col. 1093-1095}}
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{{succession box|title=[[List of Roman Consuls|Consul]] of the [[Roman Republic]]|before=[[Marcus Minucius Rufus (consul 110 BC)|Marcus Minucius Rufus]] and [[Spurius Postumius Albinus (consul 110 BC)|Spurius Postumius Albinus]]||after=[[Servius Sulpicius Galba (consul 108 BC)|Servius Sulpicius Galba]] and [[Marcus Aurelius Scaurus]]|years= ''with [[Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus]]'' <br /> 109 BC}}
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[[Category:Junii Silani]]
[[Category:2nd-century BC Roman consuls]]
[[Category:People of the Cimbrian War]]