Marcus Velleius Paterculus

Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Marcus Velleius Paterculus (c. 19 BC - c. 31 AD) was a Roman historian, also known simply as Velleius. Although his praenomen is given as Marcus by Priscian, some modern scholars identify him with Gaius Velleius Paterculus, whose name occurs in an inscription on a north African milestone (C.I.L. VIII.10, 311). Paterculus belonged to a distinguished Campanian family, and entered the army at an early age. He served as military tribune in Thrace, Macedonia, Greece and the East, and in AD 2 was present at the interview on the Euphrates between Gaius Caesar, grandson of Augustus, and the Parthian king Phraataces. Afterwards, as praefect of cavalry and legatus, he served for eight years (from AD 4) in Germany and Pannonia under Tiberius. For his services he was rewarded with the quaestorship in AD 8, and, together with his brother, with the praetorship in AD 15. He was still alive in AD 30, for history contains many references to the consulship of M. Vinicius in that year. It has been conjectured that he was put to death in AD 31 as a friend of Sejanus, whom he praises.