MARCUS

See also:

• ANTONIUS

ANTONIUS

See also:

• MARCUS ANTONIUS PRIMUS

PRIMUS  , Roman general, was born at Tolosa in Gaul about A.D . 30-35 . During the reign of Nero he was resident in Rome and a member of the senate, from which he was expelled for forgery in connexion with a will and was banished from the city . He was subsequently reinstated by Galba, and placed in command of the 7th legion in Pannonia . During the civil war he was one of Vespasian's strongest sup-porters . Advancing into Italy, he gained a decisive victory over the Vitellians at Bedriacum (or Betriacum) in October 69, and on the same day stormed and set fire to Cremona . He then crossed the Apennines, and made his way to Rome, into which he forced an entrance after considerable opposition . Vitellius was seized and put to death . For a few days Primus was virtually ruler of Rome, and the senate bestowed upon him the rank and insignia of a consul . But on the arrival of Licinius Mucianus he was not only obliged to surrender his authority, but was treated with such ignominy that he left Rome . Primus must have been alive during the reign of Domitian, since four epigrams of Martial are addressed to him . Tacitus describes him as brave in action, ready of speech, clever at bringing others into odium, powerful in times of civil war and rebellion, greedy, extravagant, in peace a bad citizen, in war an ally not to be despised .

See Tacitus, Histories, ii., iii., iv.; Dio

Cassius lxv . 9-21 .