Lucius Venuleius Apronianus Octavius Priscus facts for kids

Lucius Venuleius Apronianus Octavius Priscus was an important Roman senator. He lived in the first half of the 100s AD. He became a consul (a top government official) around 145 AD. Later, he was a consul again in 168 AD with Lucius Sergius Paullus. We know about Priscus mostly from old writings and stone carvings, not from books written at the time.

Priscus came from a city called Pisa in Italy. Old inscriptions found there tell us about his life. We also know he owned land in Pisa because his name was stamped on a lead water pipe found in the town. His father was also named Lucius Venuleius Apronianus Octavius Priscus. His family, the Venuleii, owned a grand estate called a villa in Massaciuccoli.

Lucius Venuleius Apronianus Octavius Priscus: A Roman Leader

What Was His Job?

Lucius Venuleius Apronianus Octavius Priscus came from a very old and important Roman family called the patricians. This meant his family had a high social rank. His career path, known as the cursus honorum, shows this.

He started his career as one of the tresviri monetalis. These were three young officials in charge of minting coins. This was a very respected first job, usually given to patricians. After this, he served as a prefect for the feriae Latinae, a religious festival.

Next, Priscus became a quaestor. This was a financial official, and he might have worked directly for the Roman emperor, possibly Hadrian. Around 142 AD, he became a praetor. A praetor was a high-ranking judge or official. It's interesting that he didn't hold other common jobs like a tribune or aedile. This also suggests he was from a patrician family.

However, Priscus then became a military commander, a legatus legionis. He led the Legio I Italica (First Italian Legion) around 143–144 AD. This was a bit unusual for a patrician during that time. After leading the legion, he became a suffect consul. This means he filled a consul's spot partway through the year.

His Later Career

After his first time as consul, Priscus became the governor of Hispania Tarraconensis. This was a large Roman province in what is now Spain. During this time, he likely joined the college of augurs. Augurs were priests who interpreted signs from the gods. Becoming an augur usually happened after someone had been a consul.

Priscus was also a member of two other religious groups. These were the sodales Hadrianales and sodales Antoniani Veriani. These groups were less important than the augurs. He probably joined them years before he became a governor.

See also

In Spanish: Lucio Venuleyo Aproniano Octavio Prisco (cónsul 168) para niños