Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1870) - Volume 3.djvu/523

Rh POSTUMUS. the ingurrection of Ingenuus [Ingenuus], he com- mitted his son Saloniniis to the guardianship of Silvanus. Postumua, feeling slighted by this ar- rangement, took advantage of the disaffection of the troops towards the royal family, raised the standard of rebellion, assumed the style and title of emperor, and drove ^aloninus to take refuge in Colonia Agrippina, where he was besieged, and eventually put to death upon the capture of the city. These events took place in a. d. 258 and 259, while Valerian was prosecuting his unfor- tunate campaign against the Persians. Whatever guilt may attach to the circumstances under which Postumus established his sway — and these are differently represented by different authorities, since Pollio declares that he was urged on by the discontent of the army and the provincials rather than by any ambition of his own, denying, at the same time, that he had any hand in the death of the youth whom he represents as having been ac- tually consigned to his protection — it seems cer- tain that he exercised his power with firmness, moderation, and skill. Not only were the efforts of Gallienus to take vengeance for his son signally frustrated; but while the nominal sovereign was indulging in slothful pleasures, the pretender, be- loved by all to whom his influence extended, maintained a strong and just government, and pre- served Gaul from the devastation of the warlike tribes upon the eastern border. Hence the titles of Imperator and Germanicus Maximus^ which recur upon the medals of several successive years, are in this case something better than a nitie empty boast. At length, however, his fickle sub- jects became weary of submitting to the strict and well-regulated discipline enforced in all depart- ments of the state, rallied round a new adventurer named Laelianus [Laelianus ; Lollianus], and Postumus, who assuredly may claim the highest place among the numerous pageants of royalty that sprung up and disappeared with such rapidity during this disturbed epoch, was slain a. d. 267, in the tenth year of his reign. The number of coins still extant bearing the effigy of this prince, and the skilful workmanship displayed in the gold pieces especially, prove that the arts of peace were not despised in his court, while the letters S. C. stamped after the usual fashion upon ' the brass money, seem to indicate that he had surrounded himself with a body of counsellors, whom he chose to consider the true Roman senate. All questions connected with this reign have been investigated, with much diligence, accuracy, and learning, by Brequigny in the Memoires de VAcademie de Sciences et Belles- Lettres, vol, xxx, p, 338, &c. There is also a dissertation on the Life of Postumus by loach. Meierus, preserved in Walterek Elext. p. 203. The chief ancient au- thorities are, Trebell. Poll. Trig. Tyrann. ii. ; Aurel. POSTUMUS. 611 Vict, de Caes. 33, Epit. 32 ; Eutrop. ix. 7 ; Ores, vii. 22 ; Zosim. i. 38 ; Zonar. xii. 24. From inscrip- tions and medals we obtain the name given above, M. Cassianus Latinius Postumus^ but Victor terms him Cassius Labienus Postumus, while Pollio uni- formly designates him as Posttcmius, and erro- neously limits the duration of his power to seven years. [W. R.] PO'STUMUS, son of the foregoing, is men- tioned by Trebellius Pollio, who presses in his name to swell the number of the 30 tyrants, stating that having received first the title of Caesar, and subsequently that of Augustus, he was slain along with his father. But when we recollect that not- withstanding the multitude of coins still existing of the elder Postumus, not one has been found commemorating the dignities of the younger, we are led with Eckhel to doubt the testimony of a writer notoriously inaccurate, and to conclude that no such person ever existed, or at all events that he was never invested with the title of Augustus or Caesar. (Trebell. Pollio. Trig. Tyr. iii.; Eckhel, vol. vii. p. 447.) It must not, however, be con- cealed, that in addition to the pieces described by Goltzius, which every numismatologist rejects as spurious, there are to be found in some cabinets two very rare medals, one in gold, the other in billon, bearing upon the obverse the head of the elder Pos- tumus, with the legend imp. c. postumus. p. p. AUG., and on the reverse the bust of a more ju- venile personage, with a radiated crown, and the words INVICTO. AUG. Whether we are justified in regarding this as a representation of the younger Postumus, is a question which can hardly be an- swered with certainty, but the arguments adduced to prove the affirmative are far from being con- clusive. (See Mionnet, Medailles Romaines, vol. ii. p. 70.) A cut of the billon coin is placed below. [VV.R.] COIN OF POSTUMUS SENIOR. COIN OF POSTUMUS JUNIOR. PO'STUMUS, A'CTIUS, a rhetorician, men- tioned by the elder Seneca. (Controv. 21.) PO'STUMUS, AGRIPPA. [Agrippa,p.78.] PO'STUMUS, CU'RTIUS. 1, 2. Qu. and Cn. Curtii Postumi, two brothers, were argen- tarii, with whom Verres had pecuniary dealings. One of these, Quintus, who is called by Cicero a sodalis of Verres, was afterwards a judex quaes- tionis in the trial of Verres. (Cic. Verr. i. 39, 61.) 3. M. CuRTius Postumus, was recommended by Cicero to Caesar in B. c. 54 for the post of tribune of the soldiers, which he obtained. (Cic. ad Q. Fr. ii. 15. § 3, iii. 1. § 3.) On the breaking out of the civil war, in B. c. 49, he espoused with zeal the cause of Caesar, and was, on that account, a disagreeable guest to Cicero, whom he visited at his Formian villa. He appears to have entertained the hope of obtaining, through Caesar's influence, some of the higher dignities in the state {dibaphum eogitai). It appears that Atticus was afraid lest Curtius should prevent him from leaving Italy