n from Formiae, notorious for wealth and vice,2 and the phenomenal P. Ventidius , whose infancy had known slavery and degradation:

e years of early manhood some said that he served as a common soldier Ventidius rose to be an army contractor and attached himsel

ff., &c, cf. P-W XIV, 966 f. 3 The essential evidence about P. Ventidius is supplied by Gellius 15, 4; Dio 43, 51, 4 f. On

10, cf. Münzer in P-W I A, 1592 ff. It is not really very plausible. Ventidius was perhaps, like Mamurra, a praefectus fabrum in

f. below, p. 199 and p. 237. 8 Poppaedius Silo commanded troops for Ventidius in 39 B.C., Dio 48, 41, 1. On‘Poppaedius’, the tr

r and consul in the revolutionary period. 2 Most famous of all was P. Ventidius , the army contractor. All posterity knows Ventidi

ous of all was P. Ventidius, the army contractor. All posterity knows Ventidius as a muleteer. 3 His career was laborious, but hi

sul is presumably T. Didius, or Deidius (98), then a long gap till P. Ventidius (cos. suff. 43). Names in ‘-isius’ and ‘-asius’ a

y no means likely that the Dictator would have given the consulate to Ventidius or to Balbus he did not gratify the expectations

ius Saxa and a certain Cafo, raised recruits in this region, while P. Ventidius was suitably employed in the populous and martial

1; Dio 45, 13, 5. 3 Phil. 10, 22 (Saxa and Cafo); the activities of Ventidius can be deduced from subsequent events, perhaps al

not, became standard jests, treasured by friends as well as enemies. Ventidius was called a muleteer:8 the fullest elaboration o

ctavianus to turn south across the Apennines into Etruria, to cut off Ventidius and prevent him from marching westwards to join A

f Ventidius and prevent him from marching westwards to join Antonius. Ventidius , an important but sometimes neglected factor in t

if he had, is it certain that the troops would have obeyed. 1 And so Ventidius slipped through. Before long Octavianus receive

miles south-west of Genoa). Here on May 3rd he was met by the trusty Ventidius with the three veteran legions. The first round w

resign the office he had seized. The rest of the year was given to P. Ventidius and C. Carrinas, a pair of consuls personifying t

s left in control of Comata in 43 B.C. (Plutarch, Antonius 18): in 41 Ventidius and Calenus were there. 5 The ex-Caesarian Q. C

e presence of their names upon the Fasti. 7 The Antonians Decidius, Ventidius and Canidius, all famed NotesPage=>200 1 D

the Idumaean, in temporary charge of two Roman legions sent to him by Ventidius under the command of an enigmatic alien called Ma

, 3. 4 Above, p. 189. There is no evidence of the whereabouts of P. Ventidius in 42 B.C.: Gallia Comata? Cf. p. 210. 5 Appian

destroyed the Republic along with their new allies and peers in rank, Ventidius and Carrinas. On the field of Philippi fell the y

n province, all Gaul beyond the Alps, was held for him by Calenus and Ventidius with a huge force of legions: they, too, had oppo

dienus made his way back from Spain through the Cisalpina; Pollio and Ventidius followed, slow but menacing, in his rear. The war

pared to stand a brief siege, expecting prompt relief from Pollio and Ventidius . He was quickly undeceived. Octavianus at once in

Then, marching north-eastwards with Agrippa, he confronted Pollio and Ventidius , who, undecided and at variance, refused battle a

ns. 4 As the siege continued and hunger pressed upon the defenders, Ventidius and Pollio resolved to attempt a junction with Pl

miles from Perusia their fire-signals could be seen by the besieged. Ventidius and Pollio were ready to fight. The caution of Pl

al confidence in the counsels of the Antonian generals. The soldierly Ventidius knew that Plancus had called him a muleteer and a

. Antonius and the propertied classes of Italy. Pollio, Plancus and Ventidius separated and retired, leaving Perusia to its fat

ersed. Along with Fulvia, Plancus fled to Greece, deserting his army. Ventidius and Pollio turned back and made for the coast of

f the partisans of Antonius had collapsed, two consulars, the soldier Ventidius and the diplomatic Plancus, and one consul for th

iately upon the conclusion of the pact Antonius sent his best general Ventidius to disperse the Parthians. 4 Pollio may have depa

h. 6 This was the end of Q. Salvidienus Rufus the peer of Agrippa and Ventidius , and most remarkable, perhaps, of all the marshal

nd most able members of that party, the consulars Pollio, Plancus and Ventidius . Not to mention Ahenobarbus, himself the leader o

Brundisium freed the energies of Rome. Antonius at once dispatched Ventidius against the enemy. With Ventidius went as his leg

ntidius went as his legate or quaestor the Marsian Poppaedius Silo. 6 Ventidius had served under Caesar, and he moved with Caesar

f. PageBook=>224 place. There was delay and allegations that Ventidius had taken bribes from the prince of Commagene. An

Antonius arrived and received in person the capitulation of Samosata. Ventidius departed, and in November the Picene, who had bee

fty-one years before, celebrated in Rome his paradoxical triumph. 1 Ventidius is not heard of again save for the ultimate honou

24 1 CIL I2, p. 50, cf. 180. The fullest account of the exploits of Ventidius is given by Dio, 48, 39, 3 ff.; 49, 19, 1 ff. Acc

ff. According to Fronto (p. 123 N), Sallust composed an encomium for Ventidius to deliver. 2 Gellius 15, 4, 4. 3 Dio 49, 22,

itary glory of Antonius was revived in the triumph which his partisan Ventidius now celebrated over the Parthians. Agrippa, retur

were rare enough on either side. The most prominent of them, Pollio, Ventidius and Plancus, were with Antonius. Octavianus had t

hs in Rome Censorinus and Pollio from the province of Macedonia (39), Ventidius over the Parthians (38). Then in 36 the balance i

r at Rome. Antonius had already lost the better part of two years not Ventidius but the victor of Philippi should have driven the

ls and diplomats. 3 Of his earlier Caesarian associates, the marshals Ventidius and Decidius were dead. Pollio had abandoned publ

1892), 31 ff. In the years 40–32 B.C., Ganter gives, for Syria, Saxa, Ventidius , Sosius, Plancus and Bibulus; Asia, Plancus (39–3

eader, Canidius for loyalty to Antonius, Saxa slain by the Parthians, Ventidius of a natural death. Had they survived from good f

in Spain, Mamurra in Gaul. It might also be conjectured that men like Ventidius , Salvidienus and Cornelius Gallus had been praefe

oman People Pollio, whose grandfather led the Marrucini against Rome, Ventidius from Picenum and the Marsian Poppaedius. Despit

promoted for merit to a cheap distinction. The suffect consulates of Ventidius and Carrinas in 43 B.C. showed the way. At first

iral period seldom left heirs to their acquired dignity. The names of Ventidius and Canidius belong to history: no offspring of t

ina, wife of Nero, 499. Poppaedius Silo, Marsian, in the company of Ventidius , 91, 200, 223, 359. Poppaedius Silo, Q., Marsian

s, 437; his questionable verdicts, 488. Ventidii, of Auximum, 92. Ventidius , P. (cos. suff. 43 B.C.), origin and early career