Caius Curio

Also known as: Curio · Family: Roman · Role: tribune of the people · First appears: The Gallic War, Book VIII, 48–55

As tribune of the people, Curio defended Caesar’s cause and proposed that Caesar and Pompey both lay down their commands and disband their armies. In the Civil War, Book I, Caesar sent him to Iguvium, which Curio recovered after Thermus fled and his soldiers deserted; at Corfinium Caesar gave him command of a second camp. Caesar then sent Curio to Sicily with three legions and ordered him to carry his army to Africa.

In Book II, Curio left Caius Caninius Rebilus with the legions at the Bagrada and sent Marcus Rufus ahead with the fleet. His forces defeated Juba’s advancing troops near Utica, and his army saluted him imperator. After two centurions and twenty-two men deserted to Publius Attius Varus, Curio’s soldiers reaffirmed their loyalty and urged him to test them in battle. He led them against Varus’s army, which routed and retreated; Curio then resolved to besiege Utica, but withdrew to the Cornelian camp when he learned Juba’s forces were nearby.

Curio requested reinforcements from Sicily, and his cavalry later surprised Sabura’s camp at night. In the ensuing battle, however, Sabura’s forces, reinforced by Juba, defeated Curio’s army. Cneius Domitius urged him to escape, but Curio refused to flee after losing the army entrusted to him by Caesar and fought until he was killed; his soldiers were killed to a man.