Gnaeus Cornelius Dolabella facts for kids

Gnaeus Cornelius Dolabella was an important Roman leader. He was a consul in 81 BC, serving alongside Marcus Tullius Decula. This was during the time when Sulla was a very powerful dictator in the Roman Republic.

Biography of Dolabella

Dolabella likely started his military career as a military tribune around 89 BC. This meant he was a high-ranking officer in the Roman army. Soon after, he joined Sulla's team as a legate. A legate was like a general's assistant or a commander of a part of the army. In 83 BC, Dolabella was in charge of one of Sulla's fleets of ships.

In 82 BC, Dolabella was actively involved in Sulla's civil war. He fought in important battles like the Battle of Sacriporto and the Battle of the Colline Gate. Because he was a very loyal supporter, Sulla made him a consul in 81 BC. However, Sulla held all the real power at that time. So, Dolabella and the other consul were mostly just in name.

After his time as consul, Dolabella became a proconsul of Macedonia in 80 BC. A proconsul was a governor of a Roman province. He held this important position until 78 BC. In 77 BC, Dolabella was given a special celebration called a Roman triumph. This was to honor his victories over the Thracians while he was governor.

However, soon after his triumph, Dolabella faced a serious accusation. A young man named Julius Caesar accused him of misusing his power and taking money unfairly while in Macedonia. Dolabella was put on trial. He was defended by famous speakers like Gaius Aurelius Cotta and Quintus Hortensius. In the end, Dolabella was found not guilty and set free.

Dolabella in Fiction

Gnaeus Cornelius Dolabella appears as a small character in the novel Fortune's Favourites by Colleen McCullough. In this book, just before the Battle of the Colline Gate, he makes Sulla give him the consulship. He threatens to stop supporting Sulla if he doesn't get it. This happens because Sulla had given a command to Marcus Licinius Crassus instead of Dolabella.

The 2022 novel Roma soy yo (which means «I am Rome») tells a story about Dolabella. This book is by Santiago Posteguillo, a Spanish author known for his novels about Ancient Rome. The story is based on historical facts. It describes how a young Julius Caesar brought Gnaeus Cornelius Dolabella to trial.

See also

In Spanish: Cneo Cornelio Dolabela para niños