Ulpius Marcellus (son) facts for kids

Ulpius Marcellus was a Roman official who lived around 211 to 212 AD. For a long time, people thought he was the very last Roman governor of Britannia before it was split into smaller areas.

It was also believed that he was the son of an earlier Ulpius Marcellus, who was also a governor of Britannia when Commodus was emperor. Some older history books, like Roman Britain by Peter Salway, still talk about him as a separate person. However, newer experts now believe that Lucius Alfenus Senecio was actually the last known governor.

Who Was Ulpius Marcellus?

Historians used to think there were two important Roman officials named Ulpius Marcellus. The idea of a second Ulpius Marcellus came from two stone carvings found at a Roman fort called Cilurnum. These carvings mentioned the name Ulpius Marcellus along with a group of Roman soldiers called the second ala of Asturians. An ala was a type of Roman cavalry unit, meaning soldiers who fought on horseback.

Why Did the Theory Change?

Originally, people thought these Asturian soldiers arrived in Britain in the early 200s AD. If that was true, then the Ulpius Marcellus mentioned on the carvings would have to be a later governor.

However, experts have now found that these Asturian soldiers actually arrived earlier, in the late 100s AD. Because of this new information, historians now believe that the carvings at Cilurnum refer to the earlier governor named Ulpius Marcellus, not a second one. This means there was likely only one famous Ulpius Marcellus who served as governor in Roman Britain.

See also

• Ulpia (gens)