Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa: Difference between revisions

| allegiance = [[AugustusRoman Republic]], [[Roman Empire]]

| battles =
{{plainlist|Tree list}}

* [[BattleCaesar's ofCivil MundaWar]] (45 BC)

** [[Battle of MutinaMunda]] (43 BC)

* [[BattleWar of PhilippiMutina]] (42 BC)

** [[Battle of NaulochusPhilippi]] (36 BC)

* [[BattlePerusine of ActiumWar]] (31 BC)

'''Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa'''{{Efn|He discarded his nomen Vipsanius and was called simply Marcus Agrippa for most of his public career and in official inscriptions, possibly to mask his lowborn origin. Reinhold ''Marcus Agrippa'' pp. 6–8}} ({{IPAc-en|ə|ˈ|g|r|ɪ|p|ə}}; {{Circa|63}} BC<ref name="Birth"/> – 12 BC) was a Roman general, statesman and architect who was a close friend, son-in-law and lieutenant to the [[Roman emperor]] [[Augustus]].<ref name="DGRBM">{{Cite book|last=Plate|first=William|title=Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology|title-link=Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology|publisher=[[Little, Brown and Company]]|year=1867|editor-last=Smith|editor-first=William|volume=1|place=Boston|pages=77–80|contribution=Agrippa, Marcus Vipsanius|contribution-url=http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/0086.html}}</ref> Agrippa is well known for his important military victories, notably the [[Battle of Actium]] in 31 BC against the forces of [[Mark Antony]] and [[Cleopatra]]. He was also responsible for the construction of some of the most notable buildings of his era, including the original [[Pantheon, Rome|Pantheon]].

Agrippa defeated Pompey in the battles of [[Battle of Mylae (36 BC)|Mylae]] and [[Battle of Naulochus|Naulochus]] in 36 BC. In 33 BC, he served as ''[[curule aedile]]''. Agrippa commanded the victorious Octavian's fleet at the [[Battle of Actium]] in 31 BC. FollowingA few years after the victory at Actium, Octavian became emperor and took the title of Princeps, while Agrippa remained as his close friend and lieutenant. Agrippa assisted Augustus in making Rome "a city of marble". Agrippa renovated [[Roman aqueduct|aqueducts]] to provide Roman citizens from every social class access to the highest quality public services, and was responsible for the creation of many baths, [[portico]]es, and gardens. He was also awarded powers almost as great as those of Augustus. He had [[veto]] power over the acts of the [[Roman Senate|Senate]] and the power to present laws for approval by the People. He died in 12 BC at the age of 50–51. Augustus honored his memory with a magnificent funeral and spent over a month in mourning. His remains were placed in Augustus' own [[Mausoleum of Augustus|mausoleum]].

Agrippa was born {{circa|63&nbsp;BC}},<ref name="Birth">{{Cite book|last=Reinhold|first=Meyer|title=Marcus Agrippa: A Biography|publisher=The W.F. Humphrey Press|year=1933|location=New York|pages=1}} Based on primary sources regarding his death, scholars have agreed upon the year of Agrippa's birth to have occurred during the consulship of M. Tullius Cicero, in 63 BC, the same year [[Augustus|Octavian]] was born.</ref><ref>[[Cassius Dio|Dio]] [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/54*.html#28.3 54.28.3] places Agrippa's death in late March 12 BC, while [[Pliny the Elder]] [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/L/Roman/Texts/Pliny_the_Elder/7*.html#46 7.46] states that he died "in his fifty-first year". Depending on whether Pliny meant that Agrippa was aged 50 or 51 at his death, this gives a date of birth between March 64 and March 62. A calendar from [[Cyprus]] or [[History of Syria|Syria]] includes a month named after Agrippa beginning on November 1, which may reflect the month of his birth. See Reinhold, pp. 2–4; Roddaz, pp. 23–26.</ref> in an uncertain location.<ref name="Reinhold, p. 9; Roddaz, p. 23"/> His father was called [[Lucius Vipsanius (father of Agrippa)|Lucius Vipsanius]].<ref>cf Pantheon inscription "M·AGRIPPA·L·F·COS·TERTIVM·FECIT" [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/_Texts/PLATOP*/Pantheon.html].</ref> His mother's name is not known and [[Pliny the Elder]] claimed that his [[cognomen]] "[[Agrippa (cognomen)|Agrippa]]" derived from him having been [[breech birth|born breech]]<ref>{{Cite book |title=Marcus Agrippa: A Biography |last=Reinhold |first=Meyer |publisher=L'Erma di Bretschneider |year=1965 |pages=10 |edition=new}}</ref> so it is possible that she died in childbirth.<ref>{{Cite book |title=The First Emperor: Caesar Augustus and the Triumph of Rome |last=Everitt |first=Anthony |publisher=John Murray |year=2006 |isbn=9780719554940 |pages=19 |edition=illustrated}}</ref> Pliny also stated that he suffered from lameness as a child.<ref>{{Cite book |title=The Emperor Nero: A Guide to the Ancient Sources |last1=Barrett |first1=Anthony A. |publisher=Princeton University Press |year=2016 |isbn=9780691156514 |pages=5 |last2=Fantham |first2=Elaine |last3=Yardley |first3=John C.}}</ref> He had an elder brother whose name was also [[Lucius Vipsanius (brother of Agrippa)|Lucius Vipsanius]], and a sister named [[Vipsania Polla]]. His family originated in the Italian countryside, and was of humblehumbler and plebeian origins when compared to the highest families of the Roman aristocracy. They had not been prominent in Roman public life (but were nevertheless massively wealthy if compared to the average Roman family).<ref>[[Marcus Velleius Paterculus|Velleius Paterculus]] [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Velleius_Paterculus/2D*.html#96 2.96], [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Velleius_Paterculus/2D*.html#127 127].</ref> According to some scholars, including [[Victor Gardthausen]], [[R. E. A. Palmer]], and [[David Ridgway (scholar)|David Ridgway]], Agrippa's family was originally from [[Pisa]] in [[Etruria]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hall |first1=John Franklin |year=1996 |title=Etruscan Italy: Etruscan Influences on the Civilizations of Italy from Antiquity to the Modern Era |publisher=Indiana University Press |page=[https://archive.org/details/etruscanitaly00john/page/188 188] |isbn=978-0842523349 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/etruscanitaly00john/page/188 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Ridgway |first1=David |year=2002 |title=The World of the Early Etruscans |location= Stockholm |publisher=Paul Astrèoms Fèorlag |page=37 |isbn=9789170811890 }}</ref>

Agrippa's friendship with Augustus seems to have been clouded by the jealousy of Augustus's nephew and son-in-law [[Marcus Claudius Marcellus (Julio-Claudian dynasty)|Marcus Claudius Marcellus]].<ref name="Britannica1911">{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Agrippa, Marcus Vipsanius |volume=1|pages=425–426}}</ref> Traditionally it is said that the result of such jealousy was that Agrippa left Rome, ostensibly to take over the governorship of eastern provinces – a sort of honourable exile,. but heHe only sent his [[legatus|legate]] to [[Roman Syria|Syria]], while he himself remained at [[Lesbos Island|Lesbos]] and governed by proxy,.<ref name="Britannica1911"/> thoughHe he maymight have been on a secret mission to negotiate with the [[Parthia]]ns about the return of the [[Roman legions|Roman legions']] standards which they held.<ref>David Magie, "The Mission of Agrippa to the Orient in 23 BC", ''Classical Philology'', Vol. 3, No. 2 (Apr., 1908), pp. 145–152</ref> On the death of Marcellus, which took place within a year of his exile, he was recalled to Rome by Augustus, who found he could not dispense with his services. However, ifIf one places the events in the context of the crisis of 23 BC it seems unlikely that, when facing significant opposition and about to make a major political climb down, the emperor Augustus would place a man in exile in charge of the largest body of Roman troops. What is far more likely is that Agrippa's 'exile' was actually the careful political positioning of a loyal lieutenant in command of a significant army as a backup plan in case the [[Augustus#Second settlement|settlement plans of 23 BC]] failed and Augustus needed military support.<ref>Syme (1939), 342.</ref>

Moreover, afterAfter 23 BC, as part of what became known as Augustus's ''Second Constitutional Settlement'', Agrippa's constitutional powers were greatly increased to provide the [[Principate|Principate of Augustus]] with greater constitutional stability by providing for a political heir or replacement for Augustus if he were to succumb to his habitual ill health or was assassinated. In the course of the year, [[imperium|proconsular imperium]], similar to Augustus's power, was conferred upon Agrippa for five years. The exact nature of the grant is uncertain but it probably covered Augustus‘aAugustus's [[imperial province]]s, east and west, perhaps lacking authority over the provinces of the Senate. That was to come later, as was the jealously guarded ''[[Tribune of the Plebs|tribunicia potestas]]'', or powers of a tribune of the plebeians.<ref>Syme (1939), 337–338.</ref> These great powers of state are not usually heaped upon a former exile. It is said that [[Gaius Maecenas|Maecenas]] advised Augustus to attach Agrippa still more closely to him by making him his son-in-law.<ref>Cassius Dio [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/54*.html#6 54.6]</ref> Accordingly, byIn 21 BC, he induced Agrippa to divorce Marcella and marry his daughter, [[Julia the Elder]]—the widow of Marcellus, equally celebrated for her beauty, abilities, and her shameless extravagance.<ref name=":1">Suetonius, ''The Life of Augustus'' [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Augustus*.html#63 63]; Dio, [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/54*.html#6.5 6.5]; Reinhold, ''Marcus Agrippa. A biography'', pp. 67–68, 86–87.</ref> equally celebrated for her beauty, abilities, and her shameless extravagance. In 19 BC, Agrippa was employed in putting down a rising of the [[Cantabri]]ans in [[Hispania]] ([[Cantabrian Wars]]).<ref name="Britannica1911"/>

In 18 BC, Agrippa's powers were even further increased to almost match those of Augustus. That year his proconsular imperium was augmented to cover the [[senatorial province]]s. More than that, heand was finally granted ''[[Tribune of the Plebs|tribunicia potestas]]'', or powers of a tribune of the plebeians. As was the case with Augustus, Agrippa's grant of tribunician powers was conferred without his having to actually hold thatthe office.<ref>[[Cassius Dio|Dio]], ''Roman History'' [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/54*.html#12.4 54.12.4].</ref> These powers were considerable, giving him veto power over the acts of the Senate or other magistracies, including those of other tribunes, and the power to present laws for approval by the People. Just as important, a tribune's person was sacred, meaning that any person who harmfully touched them or impeded their actions, including political acts, could lawfully be killed.<ref>Everett (2006), 217.</ref> After the grant of these powers Agrippa was, on paper, almost as powerful as Augustus was. However,; there was no doubt that Augustus was the man in charge.

Agrippa was appointed governor of the eastern provinces a second time in 17 BC, where his just and prudent administration won him the respect and good-will of the provincials, especially from the [[Jews|Jewish]] population.<ref name="Britannica1911"/> Agrippa also restored effective Roman control over the Cimmerian Chersonnese ([[Crimean Peninsula]]) during his governorship.

Agrippa's last public service was his beginning of the conquest of the upper [[Danube River]] region, which would become the Roman province of [[Pannonia]] in 13 BC.<ref>Dio, [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/54*.html#28 28]</ref> He died at [[Campania]] in 12 BC at the age of 50–51. His posthumous son, [[Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa Postumus]], was named in his honor. Augustus honoured his memory by a magnificent funeral and spent over a month in mourning. Augustus personally oversaw allthe education of Agrippa's children's educations. Although Agrippa had built a tomb for himself, but Augustus had Agrippa's remains placed in his ownthe [[Mausoleum of Augustus|mausoleum]].<ref>Cassius Dio [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/54*.html#28.5 54.28.5]</ref>

[[Category:Ancient Roman Republican admirals]]

[[Category:Ancient Roman Republican generals]]