Lucius Dasumius Tullius Tuscus facts for kids

Lucius Dasumius Tullius Tuscus was an important Roman senator. He was a trusted advisor, called an amici, to the emperors Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius. In 152 AD, he served as a suffect consul (a type of consul who filled a vacancy) from April to June, working alongside Publius Sufenas. He is also known by shorter names like Lucius Dasumius Tuscus or Lucius Tullius Tuscus.

His Family Background

Experts believe that Lucius Dasumius Tullius Tuscus's birth father was Publius Tullius Varro, who was a consul in 127 AD. This idea comes from how similar their names are and because they belonged to the same Roman "tribe" called Stellatina. Also, the same person, P. Tullius Callistio, set up special honors for both of them.

The "Lucius Dasumius" part of his name comes from his adoptive father. Adoption was common in ancient Rome. This adoptive father was likely related to Publius Dasumius Rusticus, another important consul from 119 AD. Lucius Dasumius Tullius Tuscus and his family probably came from Tarquinia, an Etruscan town. This town was part of the Stellatina tribe.

Lucius Dasumius Tullius Tuscus is thought to be the father of Marcus Dasumius Tullius Varro. We don't know the name of his wife or if he had any other children.

His Important Career

We know about Tuscus's career from an ancient stone inscription found in Tarquinia.

Early Steps in Politics

When he was a teenager, Tuscus started his career as a tresviri monetalis. This was a very good starting job for young men who were either from noble families (Patricians) or favored by the Emperor. It was part of a group of 20 junior official roles called the vigintiviri. People who held this job usually went on to have very successful careers.

Soon after, Tuscus showed he was favored by the Emperor. He served as a military tribune in the Legio IV Flavia Felix (a Roman legion) stationed in Singidunum. After that, he became a quaestor (a financial officer) for Emperor Antoninus Pius himself. Then, he worked as a legatus (an assistant) to the governor (called a proconsul) of the Roman province of Africa. These early jobs helped him become well-known and meet important people.

Rising Through the Ranks

After these early roles, Tuscus held more traditional Roman political jobs. He was a plebeian tribune and then a praetor (a high-ranking judge).

Around 147 to 150 AD, Tuscus was the prefect (in charge) of the aerarium Saturni, which was the main treasury of Rome.

While he was a suffect consul in 152 AD, he also served as the governor of Germania Superior (a Roman province in what is now Germany) from about 152 to 158 AD. He might have also been in charge of public works (curator operum publicorum) at the same time.

His last known job was being the governor of Pannonia Superior (a Roman province in modern-day Hungary and Austria). He held this position during the reigns of emperors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus. He took over from Marcus Nonius Macrinus and was followed by Marcus Iallius Bassus.

The inscription from Tarquinia also tells us that Tuscus was a member of two special religious groups: the sodales Hadrianales and the sodali Antoniniani. The second group was likely formed after Emperor Antoninus Pius died. He also held the very respected religious job of augur, someone who interpreted signs from the gods.

See also

In Spanish: Lucio Dasumio Tulio Tusco para niños