Read Online Marcus Agrippa: Right-hand Man of Caesar Augustus by Lindsay Powell - Free Book Online Page A

Cisalpina and friend of the poet C. Valerius Catullus recorded Agrippa’s emotional reaction when he learned that his father in law, T. Pomponius Atticus, had decided to commit suicide ( Atticus 21.1–4).
    Eutropius, fourth century CE – Eutropius was a government official based in Constantinople who served the Emperor Julian ‘The Apostate’ (361–363 CE) on his campaign against the Sassanids. He was alive during the reign of Emperor Valens (364–378 CE) to whom he dedicated his Short Roman History ( Breviarium Historiae Romanae ). This is a compendium in ten books of Roman history from the foundation of the city to the accession of Valens. In it, he mentions Agrippa’s great success in Aquitania (7.5).
    Florus (Iulius Florus or L. Anneus Florus or P. Annius Florus), second century CE – The precise identity of Florus continues to be debated (he may have been the poet, rhetorician and friend of the Emperor Hadrian), but the Summary of Livy’s History ( Epitome de T. Livio Bellorum Omnium Annorum DCC Libri Duo ) in two volumes summarizes all the main wars fought by Roman armies up to the time of his writing. In it he mentions the building of Portus Iulius (2.18.6) and recounts the Battle of Actium (2.21), and the Pannonian revolt in Illyricum (2.24).
    Frontinus (Sex. Iulius Frontinus), c. 40–103 CE – Frontinus was an accomplished patrician who rose through the cursus publicus , including the governorship of Britannia and with it command of the army which squashed the Silures of South Wales. Under Emperor Nerva, in 95 CE he was appointed curator aquarum , following in the footsteps of Agrippa. His book De Aqueductu Urbis Romae on the aqueducts and water distribution system of Rome contains details about Agrippa’s meticulous work when serving as aedile on the Aqua Iulia ( Aq . 9) as well as the attentiveness and ingenuity of his full time staff (which he remarks was lacking by his own day), the Aqua Virgo (10), the standard type of pipes to be used (24), the infrastructure of tanks and towers managing the water distribution system (98), the full text of the Senatus Consultum regulating and preserving the public fountains after Agrippa’s death (104), and the administration and division of labour of the maintenance crews (116).
    Horace (Q. Horatius Flaccus), 65–27 BCE – Horace is regarded by many as Rome’s leading lyric poet from the time of Augustus. His life was almost exactly contemporary with Agrippa’s and, like him, he was considered an outsider.Horace served as an officer in the army of the conspirators and was captured at the Battle of Philippi. Befriended by Maecenas, he came to the attention of Augustus. He wrote the ceremonial Ode for the Century Games ( Carmen Saeculare ) in 17 BCE at the request of Augustus and Agrippa. In his Satires he describes Agrippa as ‘cunning fox imitating a noble lion’ ( Sermones 2.3.186). Horace playfully declined in poetry that he was not grand enough to eulogize the general’s great military achievements in verse ( Carmen 1.6). Horace did, however, celebrate Agrippa’s victory over the Cantabri ( Epistulae 1.12.26–27).
    Josephus (Yosef Ben Matityahu or T. Flavius Josephus), 37–100 CE – The erstwhile leader of the resistance at Yodfat (Jotapata) during the First Jewish War of 66–73 CE, Josephus was a prolific writer under his Flavian benefactors, to whom he owed his life. In his Antiquities of the Jews ( Antiquitates Iudaicae ), published around 75 CE, he mentions the reason Augustus sent Agrippa to the East ( Ant. Iud . 15.10.2), King Herodes’ visit to Mytilene to meet him and the incident with the Gadarenes (15.10.2), Herodes’ invitation to visit Iudaea and the ensuing state visit (16.12–16), the king’s support of Agrippa’s strategy in the Cimmerian Bosporus (16.20–21), Herodes’ success at negotiating the fine on the city of Illium (16.26), Agrippa’s and Herodes’ journey through Asia (16.22–26), preserves the investigation by the