Lucius Trebius Germanus facts for kids
Lucius Trebius Germanus was an important Roman official who served as a governor in Roman Britain around the year 127 AD. He also held the title of "suffect consul," which was a high-ranking political position in ancient Rome. We know about him from an old official document called a military diploma, which is like a certificate given to Roman soldiers.
Lucius Trebius Germanus: Roman Governor
Lucius Trebius Germanus was a governor of Roman Britain in 127 AD. This means he was in charge of this part of the Roman Empire. He was also a "suffect consul" at some point. A suffect consul was a replacement consul. Consuls were the highest elected officials in the Roman Republic and Empire. They served for a year, but sometimes a consul might leave office early, and a suffect consul would take their place.
We learned about Lucius Trebius Germanus from a special document. This document is called a military diploma. It was found and published in 1997. It has the date August 20, 127 AD, which helps us know when he was governor.
Insights from Historians
The historian Anthony Birley has shared more information about Trebius Germanus. He is mentioned in the Digest, which is a collection of Roman legal writings. This book talks about a legal decision Trebius Germanus made while he was a governor.
Birley also points out something interesting about his family name, or gentilicium. Lucius Trebius Germanus was one of three consuls with the same family name, "Trebius," who served within a ten-year period. The others were Gaius Trebius Maximus and Gaius Trebius Sergianus. Another historian, Ronald Syme, called them "a unique and isolated group." Historians are still trying to figure out where this family, the Trebii, originally came from. They have found other people named Trebii in places like Italy, Spain, Gaul, and Dalmatia.
Time as Governor
Anthony Birley believes that Lucius Trebius Germanus became governor right after the previous governor, Aulus Platorius Nepos. He thinks Trebius Germanus was governor for about three years, from 125 to 127 AD. The military diploma, which is dated 127 AD, would have been issued near the end of his time as governor.
Birley also thinks that Trebius Germanus might be the governor mentioned on a broken stone inscription found at Bewcastle. This inscription is now lost, but before the military diploma was found, historians wondered which governor's name it might have held.
