Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1870) - Volume 2.djvu/719

Rh LAELIUS. LAELIA'NUS, U'LPIUS CORNE'LIUS. Trebellius Pollio assigns the fourth place in his list of the thirty tyrants [AurkolusJ to a certain JioUianus, who, according to the narrative of the Augustan historian, was the leader of the insurrec- tion by which Postumus [Postumus] was over- thrown ; and after gallantly defending Gaul from the incursions of the Germans, was himself slain by his own soldiers, who mutinied on account of the severe toils which he imposed, and proclaimed Victorinus [VictorinusJ in his stead. These events took place, it would appear, in the course of A. D. 267. Victor, in his Caesars (c. 33), calls the same individual Laelianus ; Victor, in his Epitome (c. 32), Aelianus; and Eutropius (ix. 7) L. Aeli- anus. But coins are extant in all the three metals, exe- cuted apparently by the same workmen as those of Postumus, bearing on the obverse the legend imp. c. LAELIANUS. P. F. AUG., or IMP. C. ULP. COR. LAELIANUS, which would lead us at once to con- clude that the name placed at the head of this article was the real designation of this pretender to the purple. A solittiry medal, however, believed to be genuine, was once contained in the collection of the prince of Waldeck, from whence it was stolen, which exhibited imp. c. lollianus p. f. AUG. ; and to complete the confusion, many numis- nuitologists refer to this epoch a small brass, with IMP. C. Q. VALENS. AELIANUS. P. AUG. On the ob- verse, and on the reverse Jovi. conser. augg., words which indicate a divided sovereignty. This last medal, may, however, be assigned, with more probability, to that Aelianus who, along with Amandus, headed the rebellion of the Ba- gaudae in the reign of Diocletian, [Aelianus, Maximianus Herculius.] (Eckhel, vol. vii. pp. 448—450.) [W. R.] LAELIUS. 70S coin of LAELIANUS. LAE'LIUS. 1. C. Laelius, was from early manhood the friend and companion of P. Corn. Scipio Africanus, and their actions are so interwoven, that it is difficult to relate them separately. (Polyb. X. 3 ; Veil. Pat. ii. 127.) Laelius first appears in history as the commander of the Roman fleet in the attack on New Carthage, B. c. 210. To him alone was confided the destination of the armament, which, in correspondence with the movements of the land forces, he conducted from the mouth of the Ebro to the haven of the Carthaginiiin capitjvl of Spain. Laelius, during the assault, blockaded the port, after its capture occupied the city with his marines, and, for his services, received from Scipio a golden wreath and thirty oxen. (Polyb. X. 3, 9 ; Liv. xxvi, 42, 48 ; Appian, Ilispan. 20.) Having assisted in distributing the booty, the hostages, and the prizes of vjilour to the soldiers, he was dispatched to Rome with the captives and the tidings of victory. He arrived thither early in B. c. 209, and, after reporting to the senate and the people the fall of New Carthage, and delivering up his prisoners — among whom were Mago, the VOL. II. governor of the city, fifteen members of the great council of Carthage, and two members of the council of elders, — he rejoined Scipio at Tarraco. (Polyb. X. 18, 19, 37 ; Liv. xxvi. 48, 51, xxvii. 7.) Throughout the war in Spain, Sicily, and Africa, Laelius acted as confidential legatus to hi8 friend, nor until b. c. 202, when the senate ap- pointed him Scipio's quaestor extraordinary, had he any official rank or station. (Liv. xxx. 33.) At the battle of Baecula, in the upper valley of the Guadalquivir, he commanded Scipio'sleft wing, B. c. 208 (Polyb. x. 39 ; Liv. xxvii. 18 ; Appian, Hispan. 25, 26) ; and in b. c. 206, a storming- party, when Illiturgi, on the right bank of the Baetis, was taken (Liv. xxviii. 19, 20) ; a detach- ment of the fleet, when Gades was expected to re- volt, with which he defeated the Punic admiral Adherbal in the straits (Liv. xxviii. 23, 30) ; and the cavahy, when Indibilis was routed (Polyb. xi. 32, 33 ; Liv. xxviii. 33). Twice he visited the court of Syphax, king of the Masaesylians, and the most powerful of the African princes, whose alliance was of equal importance to Carthage and to Rome. The first time he went as Scipio's envoy, the next as his companion ; and, many years afterwards, he related to their common friend, the historian Polybius (Polyb. x. 3), the particulars of that memorable banquet at which Syphax en- tertained at one table and on one couch two suc- cessive conquerors of Spain, the Punic Hasdrubal and the Roman Scipio. (Polyb. xi. 24; Liv. xxviii. 17, 18 ; Appian, Hispan. 29.) After the Carthaginians had evacuated Spain, Laelius re- turned with Scipio to Rome, and was present at his consular comitia, in the autumn of B. c. 206. (Polyb. xi. 33 ; Liv. xxviii. 38.) The completion of the second Punic war was naturally assigned to the conqueror of Spain ; but while Scipio was assembling his forces in Sicily, Laelius. with a portion of the fleet, was despatched to the African coast. He disembarked at Hippo Regius ; the farms and vineyards of a populous and unguarded district aiforded abundant spoil ; the liigh road to Carthage was thronged with fugitives, and it was believed that Scipio himself, whose pre- parations were known and dreaded, had landed with the main army. At Hippo the Massylian chief Masinissa renewed his overtures to Rome, He urged Laelius to hasten Scipio's invasion, and warned- him to return without delay, since the Carthaginians had discovered their erroi, and were preparing to cut off his retreat. Laelius accord- ingly returned to Messana. His booty betrayed the wealth and weakness of Carthage, and whetted the appetite of the legions for the plunder of Africa. (Liv. xxix. 1, 4, 6.) In the spring of B. c. 204, Laelius, with twenty war-gallies, convoyed the left division of transports from the harbour of Lilybaeum to the Fair Pro- montory. (Liv. xxix. 24 — 27.) On the main- land he again ably seconded his friend. To him and Masinissa was entrusted the burning of the Punic and Numidian camps (Polyb. xiv. 4 ; Liv. xxx. 3 — 6) ; the pursuit of Hasdrubal and Syphax far into the arid wastes of Numidia (Polyb. xiv. 9 ; Liv. xxx. 9, comp ib. 17 ; Appian. Pun. 26 — 28) ; and the capture of the Masaesylian king and his capital Cirta, for which services Laelius received for the second time a golden crown ( Liv. xxx. 1 1 — 16). At Cirta he asserted the severe discipline of Rome towards its most faithful allies, by tearing