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Publius Cornelius Dolabella (cos. 44)

Consul in 44 BCE and one of Caesar's generals. Third and husband of Tullia (Cicero's daughter) but divorced within a few years.

🏛️ Career

  1. 47 BCE
    (aged 22)
    Tribune of the Plebs

    Broughton: Dolabella's popular bills, proposing to abolish debts (a), and remit house-rents (b) led to dissension with his colleagues Pollio and Trebellius, and finally to the intervention of Antony as Master of Horse (c). J. Andre (REL 25 [1947] 137-139) doubts that Pollio held the tribunate.

    Sources (4)
    • Broughton, MRR2
      • (a) Liv. Per. 113; Plut. Ant. 9.1-2; Dio 42.29.1, and 32.2; cf. Cic. Att. 11.23.3; 14.21.4; Phil. 6.11; 10.22; 11.14; 13.26
      • (b) Dio 42.32.2
      • (c) Liv. Per. 113; Plut. Ant. 8-9, naming Pollio; Dio 42.29-33; 46.16.2; cf. Cic. Att. 11.10.2, and 12.4, and 16.1, and 23.3; Phil. 2.99; 6.11; 10.22; 11.14; 13.2 and 26; Auct. Bell. Alex. 65.1; Plut. Caes. 51.1
      • J. Andre, REL 25 [1947] 137-139
    Career-overlap (5) Magistrates with the closest career overlap; red font indicates family member

    C. Julius Caesar (2 years; raw 5.00, base 1.250, final 1.250): 47 BCE (Dictator) , 44 BCE (Consul, Dictator)

    M. Antonius (cos. 44) (1 year; raw 4.00, base 1.000, final 1.000): 44 BCE (Consul)

    L. Trebellius Fides (2 years; raw 3.00, base 0.750, final 0.750): 47 BCE (Tribune of the Plebs) , 44 BCE (Aedile)

    C. Antonius (1 year; raw 2.00, base 0.500, final 0.500): 44 BCE (Praetor)

    C. Asinius Pollio (cos. 40) (1 year; raw 2.00, base 0.500, final 0.500): 47 BCE (Tribune of the Plebs)

  2. 44 BCE
    (aged 25)
    Consul ·suffect · Co-consuls: C. Julius Caesar, M. Antonius (cos. 44)

    Broughton: Caesar chose Dolabella with the intention that when he should depart for the Parthian war Dolabella should become Consul in his place (a), but Antony opposed the election (b). Dolabella however used the occasion of Caesar's assassination to secure the consent of both the Liberators and Antony to his succession (c). He probably joined Antony in carrying in April a law for the settlement of veterans (d). In the same month during Antony's absence from Rome he suppressed a worship of Caesar and destroyed a pillar that had been erected where the body had been burned (e). In the reallotment of consular provinces in April he received Syria (f; see above, on Antony; and below, Legates, on Cicero). Soon after presiding over the meeting of the Senate on September 2 (g) he prepared to depart for his province, and though still at Formiae on October 25 (h) returned no more to Rome. He was still Consul when he passed through Macedonia and took with him one legion from Caesar's former army there, and perhaps reached Asia by the end of the year (i). See 43, Promagistrates.

    Sources (10)
    • Broughton, MRR2
      • CIL 12.2.795, 942, 968; Fast. Cap., Degrassi 58f., 134, 500f.; Fast. Amit., ibid. 170f.; Fast. Ost., ibid. 182f.; Fast. Amer., ibid. 242; Fast. Colot., ibid. 273f.; Plin. NH 2.99; Joseph. AJ 14.217 and 221; Flor. 2.14.7; Obseq. 68.
      • (a) Cic. Phil. 2.79-80; Vell. 2.58.3; Plut. Ant. 11.2; App. BC 2.122; Dio 43.51.8
      • (b) Cic. Phil. 1.31; 2.79 and 82-83 and 88 and 99; 3.9; 5.9; Plut. Ant. 11.2-3; Caes. 62.5
      • (c) Cic. Phil. 1.5 and 31; 3.9; 5.9; Nic. Dam. Vit. Caes. 28, FGrH 2A.413; Vell. 2.58.3, and 60.4; App. BC 2.122; Dio 44.22.1, and 51.2; Jerome Chr. ad ann. 44, p. 157 Helm; Zonar. 10.12
      • (d) Cic. Phil. 5. 10-11
      • (e) Cic. Att. 14.20.2 and 4, and 15.1, and 16.2, and 19.4; Fam. 9.14.7; cf. Phil. 1.5 and 30; 2.107; Dio 44.51.2; Lactant. Inst. Div. 1.15
      • (f) Cic. Att. 14.9.3, and 14.4; App. BC 3.7-8, and 12, and 24, and 27; 4.57; Dio 45.15.2; 47.29.1; cf. Cic. Phil. 11.4 and 28
      • (g) Cic. Phil. 1.27
      • (h) Cic. Att. 15.13.5
      • (i) Cic. Att. 16.15.1; Phil. 11.4 and 16 and 27, delivered by early in March at the latest; App. BC 3.24-26, and 57; Gell. 3.9.4; Dio 45.15.2; 47.29.1; cf. Cic. Phil. 10.13; 11.27; Ad Brut. 1. 11. 1; Plut. Brut. 25. 1; Dio 47.21.3; and on the date, Joseph. AJ 14.225
    Career-overlap (5) Magistrates with the closest career overlap; red font indicates family member

    C. Julius Caesar (2 years; raw 5.00, base 1.250, final 1.250): 47 BCE (Dictator) , 44 BCE (Consul, Dictator)

    M. Antonius (cos. 44) (1 year; raw 4.00, base 1.000, final 1.000): 44 BCE (Consul)

    L. Trebellius Fides (2 years; raw 3.00, base 0.750, final 0.750): 47 BCE (Tribune of the Plebs) , 44 BCE (Aedile)

    C. Antonius (1 year; raw 2.00, base 0.500, final 0.500): 44 BCE (Praetor)

    C. Asinius Pollio (cos. 40) (1 year; raw 2.00, base 0.500, final 0.500): 47 BCE (Tribune of the Plebs)

🏺 Family

  1. Parents
    Publius Cornelius Dolabella