Viriathus

Vĭrĭāthus or Vĭrĭātus, i, m.,

• a celebrated leader of the Lusitanians in the war against the Romans, Liv. Epit. 52; 54; Vell. 2, 1, 3; 2, 90, 3; Flor. 2, 17 fin.; Cic. Off. 2, 11, 40; Val. Max. 6, 4, 2; Sil. 4, 354; 10, 219.—Vĭrĭāthīnus or Vĭrĭātīnus, a, um, adj., of or pertaining to Viriathus: bellum, Suet. Galb. 3.

Viriāthus (Viriātus), ī, m., ein tapferer Lusitanier u. Anführer der Lusitanier im Kriege gegen die Römer, Lucil. 616. Cic. de off. 2, 40. Liv. epit. 52. Vell. 2, 1, 3 u. 2, 90, 3. Val. Max. 6, 4, 2. Flor. 2, 17, 15. Aur. Vict. de vir. ill. 71. Eutr. 4, 16. Oros. 6, 4, 1. Sil. 3, 354 sq. u. 10, 219 (220). – Dav. Viriāthīnus, a, um, viriathinisch, des Viriathus, Suet. Galb. 3, 2. – ➳ Die Schreibung Viriatus ist handschr. so gut beglaubigt wie Viriathus, ja inschr. noch besser, s. Corp. inscr. Lat. 2, 791. 2435: vulg. Biriatus, ibid. 2970.

Viriāthus

A celebrated Lusitanian who is described by the Romans as originally a shepherd or huntsman, and afterwards a robber, or, as he would be called in Spain in the present day, a guerrilla chief. He was one of the Lusitanians who escaped the treacherous and savage massacre of the people by the proconsul Galba in B.C. 150. (See Galba.) He collected a formidable force, and for several successive years defeated one Roman army after another. In 140 the proconsul Fabius Servilianus concluded a peace with Viriathus in order to save his army, which had been enclosed by the Lusitanians in a mountain pass. But Servilius Caepio, who succeeded to the command of Farther Spain in 140, renewed the war, and shortly afterwards procured the assassination of Viriathus by bribing three of his friends (Appian, Hisp. 60-75; Eutrop. iv. 16; Val. Max. ix. 6, 4).