Lucilius Bassus

Family: Vitellian · Role: fleet commander · First appears: Histories II.96-100

Life events

• Caecina and Lucilius Bassus pursued treacherous designs against Vitellius in support of Vespasian.(Histories II.96-100 · 📍 Patavium)
  • With: Caecina Vespasian
  • “Thence he proceeded to Patavium to secure secrecy for his treacherous designs. For Lucilius Bassus”
• Lucilius Bassus led the fleet in abandoning Vitellius and supporting Vespasian.(Histories III.12-15 · 📍 Ravenna)
  • With: Vespasian Vitellius
  • “The rest of the fleet were glad enough of a change, and their sympathies soon came round to Vespasian. Then Lucilius appeared and publicly claimed responsibility.”
• Vibennius Rufinus imprisoned Lucilius Bassus after the fleet's defection.(Histories III.12-15 · 📍 Atria)
  • With: Vibennius Rufinus
  • “Bassus was put under honourable arrest and conveyed with an escort of Liburnian cruisers to Atria, where he was imprisoned by Vibennius Rufinus”
• Hormus secured Lucilius Bassus's release from imprisonment.(Histories III.12-15 · 📍 Atria)
  • With: Hormus
  • “However, he was soon set free on the intervention of Hormus, one of the emperor's freedmen.”
• Lucilius Bassus betrayed Vitellius, causing the fleet at Ravenna to become disaffected.(Histories III.34-38 · 📍 Ravenna)
  • With: Vitellius
  • “he received the startling news of Lucilius Bassus' treachery and the disaffection of the fleet at Ravenna.”

Histories II.96-100

• employer: Vitellius “For Lucilius Bassus, whom Vitellius, from a prefect of auxiliary cavalry had raised to the supreme command of the two fleets at Ravenna and Misenum, felt aggrieved at not being immediately given the praefecture of the Guards.”
• enemies with Vitellius “Lucilius Bassus, whom Vitellius, from a prefect of auxiliary cavalry had raised to the supreme command of the two fleets at Ravenna and Misenum, felt aggrieved at not being immediately given the praefecture of the Guards, and sought in dastardly treachery the remedy for his unjustifiable annoyance.”

Histories II.101

• enemies with Vitellius “Bassus found the same task less difficult, for the fleet remembered that they had lately been in Otho's service, and were therefore already on the brink of rebellion.”

Histories III.12-15

• enemies with Vitellius “Choosing the night-time for their treason, the conspirators assembled at head-quarters without the knowledge of the other sailors. Bassus, who was either ashamed or uncertain of their success, awaited developments in his house. Amid great disturbance the ships' captains attacked the images of Vitellius and cut down the few men who offered any resistance.”
• enemies with Vibennius Rufinus “Bassus was put under honourable arrest and conveyed with an escort of Liburnian cruisers to Atria, where he was imprisoned by Vibennius Rufinus, who commanded a regiment of auxiliary horse in garrison there.”
• patron: Hormus “However, he was soon set free on the intervention of Hormus, one of the emperor's freedmen.”
• friends with Vespasian “The sailors of the fleet at Ravenna were mostly drawn from the provinces of Dalmatia and Pannonia, which were both held for Vespasian, and while they were still wavering, the admiral, Lucilius Bassus, decided them in favour of the Flavian party.”

Histories III.34-38

• enemies with Vitellius “While he thus loitered languid and indolent in the woods of Aricia, he received the startling news of Lucilius Bassus' treachery and the disaffection of the fleet at Ravenna.”

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Extracted from the original text of Tacitus — The Histories & The Annals (Books I-VI) & Agricola. Made with Rho MD.