Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus Clodianus

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Further information: Third Servile War

Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus Clodianus was one of two Consuls of the Roman Republic in 72 BCE along with Lucius Gellius Publicola. He is noted for being one of the consular generals who lead Roman legions against the slave armies of Spartacus in the Third Servile War.

Lentulus' legions barred Spartacus's forces from moving north, waiting for the armies of Lucius Gellius Publicola to close from the south, hoping to catch the rebels between the two armies. Spartacus' slave army destroyed Lentulus' legions in the Appenine Mountains (now near Pistoia) in the valley named Lentula (*), and then turned and dispatched the oncoming legions of Gellius'.

Shortly afterward, Gellius and Lentulus were withdrawn as commanders by the Roman senate and command of the war was given to Marcus Licinius Crassus.

(*)Laura Battistini, "Lentula....", 2000; http://it.geocities.com/lentula_storia/index_engl.html

Preceded by Gaius Cassius Longinus and Marcus Terentius Varro Lucullus

Consul of the Roman Republic with Lucius Gellius Publicola 72 BCE

Succeeded by Publius Cornelius Lentulus Sura and Gnaeus Aufidius Orestes