Gnaeus Octavius (consul 87 BC)

Gnaeus Octavius (died 87 BC) was a Roman senator who was elected consul of the Roman Republic in 87 BC alongside Lucius Cornelius Cinna. He died during the chaos that accompanied the capture of Rome by Cinna and Gaius Marius.

Early career

Gnaeus Octavius was a member of the Plebeian gens Octavia. His father, also called Gnaeus Octavius, was Consul in 128 BC, while his uncle, Marcus Octavius, was a key figure in opposition to the reforms of Tiberius Gracchus in 133 BC. He was a third cousin to Gaius Octavius, father of the future emperor Augustus.

Although at some point he had failed to be elected aedile, in around 90 BC, Octavius was elected Praetor, and in the following year (89 BC) was given a propraetoreal command in one of the eastern provinces. In 88 BC he was back in Rome where he was elected to be consul for the upcoming year (87 BC). While consul designate, he was made to swear an oath alongside his colleague, the popularist senator Lucius Cornelius Cinna, that he would uphold the changes instituted by the current consul, Sulla, and not strip Sulla of his lawful command of the First Mithridatic War. A scrupulously religious man, Octavius kept his oath.

Gnaeus Octavius (disambiguation)

Gnaeus Octavius was a name used for men among the gens Octavia. Gnaeus was one of the four chief praenomina used by the Octavii, the other three being Gaius, Marcus and Lucius. The most known member was the consul in 87 BC, distant relative of Augustus through his ancestor Gnaeus Octavius Rufus.

Gnaeus Octavius also refers to men from the so-called Octavii Rufi family of the gens Octavia:

Gnaeus Octavius (consul 76 BC)

Gnaeus Octavius was consul of the Roman Republic in 76 BC. His father Marcus Octavius was possibly either the Marcus who was the tribunus plebis in 133 BC, political opponent of Tiberius Gracchus, or the Marcus who was also tribunus plebis and brought forward a law raising the price at which corn was sold to the people.

A member of the Plebeian gens Octavia, Gnaeus Octavius was elected Praetor by 79 BC at the latest. He may have been the praetor urbanus who introduced the Formula Octaviana, a law which provided for the restoration of property and money which had been obtained by violent acts, or by threats of violence. Gnaeus Octavius was elected consul for 76 BC, with Gaius Scribonius Curio as his colleague.

Scorned as an orator, he was also plagued with attacks of gout, which eventually made it impossible for him to walk.

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