Quintus Pompeius Senecio Sosius Priscus
Quintus Pompeius Senecio Sosius Priscus (fl. 2nd century) was a Roman military officer and senator who was appointed Roman consul during the reign of Marcus Aurelius.
Sosius Priscus is known for possessing the longest attested name of the ancient Romans, this was due to the practice of polyonymy, where elements of his ancestor's name were incorporated into his own. In full, his name is:
- Quintus Pompeius Senecio Roscius Murena Coelius Sextus Iulius Frontinus Silius Decianus Gaius Iulius Eurycles Herculaneus Lucius Vibullius Pius Augustanus Alpinus Bellicius Sollers Iulius Aper Ducenius Proculus Rutilianus Rufinus Silius Valens Valerius Niger Claudius Fuscus Saxa Amyntianus Sosius Priscus[1]
He received a portion of his lengthy name from his father, Quintus Pompeius Sosius Priscus, consul in AD 149. Although the inscription that recorded his father's full name is damaged, enough of it survives to show the younger Sosius Priscus inherited part of his lengthy name:
- Quintus Pompeius [...] Bellicus Sollers Iulius Acer Ducenius Proculus Rutilianus Rufinus Silius Valens Valerius Niger Claudius Fuscus Saxa Amyntianus Sosius Priscus[2]
Life
An outline of Sosius Priscus' career is preserved, along with his full name, in the inscription CIL XIV, 3609. It shows his career began as the Praefectus feriarum Latinarum; this was followed by a posting as triumvir monetalis. Around the year AD 162, he stood and was elected as a candidate of the emperor for the office of Quaestor. Next he was appointed Legatus, serving under his father who was the Proconsular governor of the province of Asia, possibly around the year AD 163/164. Finally, he was elected to the office of Praetor, possibly around AD 167.
In AD 169, Sosius Priscus was elected consul ordinarius alongside Publius Coelius Apollinaris. He was then appointed to the proconsular posting of praefectus alimentorum (or the officer responsible for organising Rome’s food supply). This was followed by his appointment as proconsular governor of Asia at an unknown date.
A member of the College of Pontiffs, Sosius Priscus was married to Ceionia Fabia. They had at least one son, Quintus Pompeius Sosius Falco, who was appointed consul in AD 193.
Sources
- PIR ² P 651
References
- ^ See Benet Salway, "What's in a name? A survey of Roman onomastic practice from c.700 B.C. to 700 A.D.", Journal of Roman Studies, 84 (1994), p. 132.
- ^ Géza Alföldy, Konsulat und Senatorenstand unter der Antoninen (Bonn: Rudolf Habelt Verlag 1977), p. 153 n. 58