Gaius Norbanus

Gaius Norbanus surnamed Bulbus (or Balbus) was a Roman politician.

In 103 BC, when tribune of the people, he accused Quintus Servilius Caepio the Elder of having brought about the defeat of his army by the Cimbri through rashness, and also of having plundered the temple of Tolosa. Caepio was condemned and went into exile.

About ten years later, Norbanus himself was accused of treason on account of the disturbances that had taken place at the trial of Caepio, but the eloquence of Marcus Antonius Orator, grandfather of the triumvir Mark Antony, procured his acquittal.

In 89 BC Norbanus as praetor successfully defended Sicily against the Italian socii during the Social War. During the civil war between Gaius Marius and Lucius Cornelius Sulla he sided with the former. He was consul in 83 BC and met Sulla returning to Italy. He was defeated by Sulla at the Battle of Mount Tifata near Capua, and again by Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius at Faventia in Cisalpine Gaul (82 BC). He fled to Rhodes, where he committed suicide, while the Rhodians were debating whether to hand him over to Sulla.

References

• Theodor Mommsen, History of Rome, bk. iv. ch. v.;
• A. H. J. Greenidge, History of Rome.
•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 

Political offices
Preceded by Lucius Cornelius Cinna and Gnaeus Papirius Carbo	Consul of the Roman Republic 83 BC with Lucius Cornelius Scipio Asiaticus Asiagenus (83 BC)	Succeeded by Gnaeus Papirius Carbo and Gaius Marius the Younger