Ahenobarbus

“Brazen-bearded.” A name applied to the members of a noted Roman family, because the Dioscuri (Castor and Pollux) were said to have announced to one of their ancestors, L. Domitius, the victory of the Romans over the Latins at Lake Regillus (B.C. 496), and, in confirmation of the truth of what they told, to have stroked his black hair and beard, which immediately became red. (1) Cn. Domitius Ahenobarbus, consul B.C. 122, conquered the Allobroges in Gaul, at the confluence of the Sulga and Rhodanus.

(2) Cn. Domitius Ahenobarbus, tribune of the plebs, B.C. 104, brought forward the law (Lex Domitia) by which the election of the priests was transferred from the collegia to the people. The people afterwards elected him Pontifex Maximus out of gratitude. He was consul in 96, and censor in 92, with Licinius Crassus, the orator.

(3) L. Domitius Ahenobarbus, married Porcia, the sister of M. Cato, and was a staunch and courageous supporter of the aristocratical party. He was aedile in B.C. 61, praetor in 58, and consul in 54. On the breaking-out of the civil war in 49 he threw himself into Corfinium, but was compelled by his own troops to surrender to Caesar. He next went to Massilia, and after the surrender of that town repaired to Pompey in Greece. He fell in the battle of Pharsalia (48), where he commanded the left wing, and, according to Cicero's assertion in the second Philippic, by the hand of Antony.

(4) Cn. Domitius Ahenobarbus, son of no. 3, was taken with his father at Corfinium (49), was present at the battle of Pharsalia (48), and returned to Italy in 46, when he was pardoned by Caesar. He accompanied Antony in his campaign against the Parthians in 36. He was consul in 32, and deserted to Augustus shortly before the battle of Actium.

(5) Cn. Domitius Ahenobarbus, consul A.D. 32, married Agrippina (q.v.), daughter of Germanicus, and was father of the emperor Nero.