Mark Vinitsiy Consul of the Roman Empire in 30 and 45, husband of Julia Livilla, sister of Caligula. Country: Italy

Biography of Mark Vinicius

Mark Vinicius, a Roman consul of the years 30 and 45, was the husband of Julia Livilla, the sister of Caligula. He came from a provincial equestrian family, which, under his grandfather, transitioned into the senatorial class. In 30, he held the position of consul and was known for his skills as an orator, although he was known to be of a mild character.

In 33, Tiberius arranged his marriage to Julia Livilla, one of the daughters of Germanicus. In 37, Tiberius appointed him to a commission responsible for the reconstruction of Rome after a fire. In 38, he was sent by Caligula as a proconsul to Asia. It is likely that Julia accompanied him, but she was soon recalled to Rome by Caligula.

In 39, following the death of Caligula's beloved sister, Drusilla, Julia Livilla and Agrippina the Younger were exiled due to their involvement in a conspiracy against the emperor. On January 24, 41, after the assassination of Caligula, Mark Vinicius was considered a leading candidate for the position of princeps of the Senate among senators who wished to restore the republic. However, after the Praetorians proclaimed Claudius emperor, he swore allegiance to him.

Claudius brought Julia Livilla back from exile. Shortly thereafter, Julia Livilla fell out of favor with Messalina, and at Claudius' orders, she was exiled once again. She died in the early months of 42. Mark Vinicius remained loyal to the emperor. In 45, he once again assumed the position of consul, but he only served for two months - January and February. Whether Vinicius' death played a role in his appointment as a suffect consul is unknown.

The name of Mark Vinicius was borrowed by Henryk Sienkiewicz for one of the main characters in the novel "Quo Vadis." Unlike many other characters in the book, the character Mark Vinicius is entirely fictional. The real Mark Vinicius would have been at least 65 years old at the time of the events in the novel.