Marcus Atius

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Marcus Atius Balbus (105 BC – 51 BC) was a first-century Roman who served as a praetor in 62 BC and became governor of Sardinia.

Early life

Balbus was born and raised in Aricia into a political family and was the son and heir of the elder Marcus Atius Balbus (148 BC – 87 BC). His mother was Pompeia the sister to consul Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo, father of the triumvir Pompey.

The family of the elder Balbus came from a Roman senatorial family of plebs status from Aricia (modern Ariccia, Italy). "Balbus" in Latin means stammer.

Career

Under Caesar in 59 BC, Balbus was appointed along with Pompey to a board of commissioners under Julian Law to divide estates in Campania among the commoners. Cicero stated that Pompey would say as a joke about Balbus, that he was not a person of any importance.

Personal life

He married Julia Minor, second eldest sister of the dictator Gaius Julius Caesar. Julia bore him three daughters and they were:

Atia Balba Prima was the mother of Quintus Pedius who served as a general and consul.
Atia Balba Caesonia became the mother of Octavia Minor who was the fourth wife of triumvir Mark Antony and of the first Emperor Augustus.
Atia Balba Tertia was the mother of Lucius Pinarius, a political supporter of Mark Antony.

Death

The younger Balbus died in 51 BC.

External links

Coinage of Balbus

Sources

Suetonius, The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Augustus
http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/0464.html

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