Publius Cornelius Dolabella (consul 35 BC)

Publius Cornelius Dolabella (fl. 1st century BC) was a Roman senator who was appointed suffect consul in 35 BC with Titus Peducaeus as his colleague.[1]

Biography

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Early life

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A member of the patrician Dolabella branch of the gens Cornelia, Dolabella was probably the descendant of Gnaeus Cornelius Dolabella, who was Urban praetor in 81 BC.[2] His father may have been Publius Cornelius Dolabella the consul of 44 BC.[3]

He may have been the man who informed Cleopatra of Octavian's plans when he had captured her.[4]

Career

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Much of his career is unknown; based on a series of rare and enigmatic bronze coins, it has been postulated that he may have been a triumvir monetalis in Sicily at some early point in his career. Appointed consul suffectus in 35 BC to replace Sextus Pompeius, it is not known whether he was a partisan of Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus or Marcus Antonius. He also perhaps may have been the Dolabella who accompanied Augustus to Gaul between 16 – 13 BC.[5]

Personal life

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It is speculated that Dolabella married a Quinctilia, a sister of Publius Quinctilius Varus, and that their son was Publius Cornelius Dolabella, who was Roman consul in AD 10.[6]

References

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  1. ^ Alison E. Cooley, The Cambridge Manual of Latin Epigraphy (Cambridge: University Press, 2012), p. 456
  2. ^ Tansey, pp. 266f
  3. ^ Burr Marsh, Frank (1922). The Founding of the Roman Empire (Second ed.). University of Texas. p. 302. ISBN 0722224311.
  4. ^ Dusgate Selby Bradford, Ernle (1972). Cleopatra. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. p. 277. ISBN 9780151181407.
  5. ^ Tansey, p. 266
  6. ^ Tansey, p. 271

Sources

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Political offices
Preceded byas ordinary consuls Suffect Consul of the Roman Republic
35 BC
with Titus Peducaeus
Succeeded byas ordinary consuls