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{{Infobox
'''Marcus Junius Pera''' was a [[Rome|Roman]] politician during the [[Second Punic War]]. He was appointed [[Roman dictator|dictator]] in [[216 BC]], ''rei garendae causa'', for the purpose of repelling the [[Carthage|Carthaginian]] forces under [[Hannibal]] from [[Italy]]. He was the only dictator to serve a term simultaneously with another dictator, [[Marcus Fabius Buteo|M. Fabius Buteo]] being appointed later that year to deal with constitutional matters in Rome.
| name = Marcus Junius Pera
| above = Marcus Junius Pera
|headerstyle = background:#ccf;
| labelstyle =
| datastyle =
|header1 = [[Roman dictator|Dictator]] of the [[Roman Republic]]
| label1 =
| data1 =
|header2 =
| label2 = In office
| data2 = 216 BC
|header3 =
| label3 = Magister equitum
| data3 = [[Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus (consul 215 BC)|Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus]]
|header4 = [[Roman censor|Censor]] of the [[Roman Republic]]
| label4 =
| data4 =
| label5 = In office
| data5 = 225 BC
|header6 =
| label6 = Colleague
| data6 = [[Gaius Claudius Centho]]
|header7 = [[Consul]] of the [[Roman Republic]]
| label7 =
| data7 =
|header8 =
| label8 = In office
| data8 = 230 BC
|header9 =
| label9 = Colleague
| data9 = [[Marcus Aemilius Barbula]]
}}

'''Marcus Junius Pera''' ([[Floruit|fl.]] 230{{spnd}}216 BC) was a [[Rome|Roman]] politician before and during the [[Second Punic War]].

==Career==
Pera served as one of the [[Consul|consuls]] for the year 230 BC; during his consulship, he – along with his colleague [[Marcus Aemilius Barbula]] – campaigned against local tribes in [[Liguria]].{{sfn|Broughton|1951|p=226}}

He also was elected [[Roman censor|censor]] for 225 BC with [[Gaius Claudius Centho]] as his colleague.{{sfn|Broughton|1951|p=231}} They conducted a census of the Roman population: Livy reports the number of citizens as 270,213.{{sfn|Livy|1868}}

==Dictatorship==
During [[Hannibal]]'s invasion of Italy during the [[Second Punic War]], the [[Carthage|Carthaginian]] general all but wiped out an 85,000-strong Roman army at the [[Battle of Cannae]] in 216 BC. In doing so, one consul, [[Lucius Aemilius Paullus (consul 219 BC)|Lucius Aemilius Paullus]], was killed. The other consul, [[Gaius Terentius Varro]], escaped to Venusia and collected his shattered army to Canusium.{{sfn|Broughton|1951|p=247}}

After news of the disaster, Pera was appointed as dictator with [[Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus (consul 215 BC)|Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus]] as his ''[[magister equitum]]''.{{sfn|Broughton|1951|p=248}}{{sfn|Livy|1905|loc=22.57.8}} He immediately instituted a levy to replace the men killed at Cannae. A levy was ordered, conscripting underage boys to fill up four legions and even buying and arming 8,000 slave volunteers with public funds.{{sfn|Livy|1905|loc=22.57.9–11}} By doing so, he had created a citizen army of four legions, reinforced by the slave-force and contributions from remaining allies.{{sfn|Livy|1905|loc=22.57.9}} He also cancelled the debts of all men who enlisted in the armies or had been convicted of a capital offence.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Gabrielli |first=C |date=2003 |title=Lucius Postumius Megellus at Gabii: A New Fragment of Livy |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/classical-quarterly/article/abs/lucius-postumius-megellus-at-gabii-a-new-fragment-of-livy/0F581E696EDBCBC7F2D73E74BB26AB73 |journal=The Classical Quarterly |language=en |volume=53 |issue=1 |page=256–57 |doi=10.1093/cq/53.1.247 |issn=1471-6844|hdl=2158/431091 |hdl-access=free }}</ref>

He fought no pitched battle against Hannibal during his time in command; he relieved [[Casilinum]] and left his ''magister equitum'' there while he returned to Rome to repeat the auspices.{{sfn|Livy|1905a|loc=23.19.3}}{{sfn|Broughton|1951|p=248}} Zonaras reports Pera as being wrong-footed by Hannibal as he was shadowing his camp. After ordering his men to copy the schedules of the Carthaginians – and thus not be taken by surprise – Pera was attacked by a detachment of Hannibal's army. When his troops had repulsed the offensive and retired, assuming the Carthaginians would now rest, he was surprised by a second attack from the bulk of the Carthaginian force that Hannibal had kept in reserve.<ref>Zonaras, 9.3.</ref>

His dictatorship is also notable for the concurrent{{cn|date=February 2022}} appointment of [[Marcus Fabius Buteo]]. It marked the only occasion in Roman history where two dictators were in office at the same time. With Pera away on campaign, Buteo was selected to appoint new men to the [[Roman senate|Senate]] after its ranks had been diminished greatly at Cannae.{{sfn|Broughton|1951|p=248}} According to Livy, Buteo was uncomfortable with the unprecedented dual-dictatorship and resigned promptly on completing his task.{{sfn|Livy|1905a|loc=23.23}}

==See also==
* [[Junia (gens)]]


==References==
==References==
{{reflist|15em}}

''' Sources '''
* {{cite book |last=Broughton |first=Thomas Robert Shannon |year=1951 |title=The magistrates of the Roman republic |location=New York |publisher=American Philological Association |author-link=Thomas Robert Shannon Broughton |volume=1}}
* {{cite book |last=Livy |title=Periochae |series=20 |url=https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/From_the_Founding_of_the_City/Book_20 |translator-first1=Daniel |translator-last1=Spillan |translator-first2=Cyrus |translator-last2=Edmonds |year=1868 |orig-date=4th century AD |via=Wikisource}}
* {{cite book |last=Livy |title=From the founding of the city |series=22 |translator-first=Canon |translator-last=Roberts |year=1905 |url=https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/From_the_Founding_of_the_City/Book_22 |via=Wikisource}}
* {{cite book |last=Livy |title=From the founding of the city |series=23 |translator-first=Canon |translator-last=Roberts |year=1905a |url=https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/From_the_Founding_of_the_City/Book_23 |via=Wikisource}}


* [[Livy]], [[Ab Urbe Condita (book)|''Ab Urbe Condita'']], XXII.lvii and XXIII.xxiii.


{{s-start}}
{{succession box|title=[[List of Roman Republican consuls|Consul]] of the [[Roman Republic]]|before=[[Marcus Pomponius Matho]] and [[Gaius Papirius Maso]]||after=[[Lucius Postumius Albinus (consul 234 and 229 BC)|Lucius Postumius Albinus]] and [[Gnaeus Fulvius Centumalus]]|years=''with [[Marcus Aemilius Barbula]]''<br /> 230 BC}}
{{s-end}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Junius Pera, Marcus}}
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[[Category:Roman dictators]]
[[Category:Iunii|Pera, Marcus]]
[[Category:Ancient Roman dictators]]
[[Category:3rd-century BC Roman consuls]]
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[[Category:Ancient Roman censors]]
[[Category:Junii|Pera, Marcus]]

Latest revision as of 11:20, 6 November 2023

Marcus Junius Pera
Dictator of the Roman Republic
In office216 BC
Magister equitumTiberius Sempronius Gracchus
Censor of the Roman Republic
In office225 BC
ColleagueGaius Claudius Centho
Consul of the Roman Republic
In office230 BC
ColleagueMarcus Aemilius Barbula

Marcus Junius Pera (fl. 230 – 216 BC) was a Roman politician before and during the Second Punic War.

Career

[edit]

Pera served as one of the consuls for the year 230 BC; during his consulship, he – along with his colleague Marcus Aemilius Barbula – campaigned against local tribes in Liguria.[1]

He also was elected censor for 225 BC with Gaius Claudius Centho as his colleague.[2] They conducted a census of the Roman population: Livy reports the number of citizens as 270,213.[3]

Dictatorship

[edit]

During Hannibal's invasion of Italy during the Second Punic War, the Carthaginian general all but wiped out an 85,000-strong Roman army at the Battle of Cannae in 216 BC. In doing so, one consul, Lucius Aemilius Paullus, was killed. The other consul, Gaius Terentius Varro, escaped to Venusia and collected his shattered army to Canusium.[4]

After news of the disaster, Pera was appointed as dictator with Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus as his magister equitum.[5][6] He immediately instituted a levy to replace the men killed at Cannae. A levy was ordered, conscripting underage boys to fill up four legions and even buying and arming 8,000 slave volunteers with public funds.[7] By doing so, he had created a citizen army of four legions, reinforced by the slave-force and contributions from remaining allies.[8] He also cancelled the debts of all men who enlisted in the armies or had been convicted of a capital offence.[9]

He fought no pitched battle against Hannibal during his time in command; he relieved Casilinum and left his magister equitum there while he returned to Rome to repeat the auspices.[10][5] Zonaras reports Pera as being wrong-footed by Hannibal as he was shadowing his camp. After ordering his men to copy the schedules of the Carthaginians – and thus not be taken by surprise – Pera was attacked by a detachment of Hannibal's army. When his troops had repulsed the offensive and retired, assuming the Carthaginians would now rest, he was surprised by a second attack from the bulk of the Carthaginian force that Hannibal had kept in reserve.[11]

His dictatorship is also notable for the concurrent[citation needed] appointment of Marcus Fabius Buteo. It marked the only occasion in Roman history where two dictators were in office at the same time. With Pera away on campaign, Buteo was selected to appoint new men to the Senate after its ranks had been diminished greatly at Cannae.[5] According to Livy, Buteo was uncomfortable with the unprecedented dual-dictatorship and resigned promptly on completing his task.[12]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Broughton 1951, p. 226.
  2. ^ Broughton 1951, p. 231.
  3. ^ Livy 1868.
  4. ^ Broughton 1951, p. 247.
  5. ^ a b c Broughton 1951, p. 248.
  6. ^ Livy 1905, 22.57.8.
  7. ^ Livy 1905, 22.57.9–11.
  8. ^ Livy 1905, 22.57.9.
  9. ^ Gabrielli, C (2003). "Lucius Postumius Megellus at Gabii: A New Fragment of Livy". The Classical Quarterly. 53 (1): 256–57. doi:10.1093/cq/53.1.247. hdl:2158/431091. ISSN 1471-6844.
  10. ^ Livy 1905a, 23.19.3.
  11. ^ Zonaras, 9.3.
  12. ^ Livy 1905a, 23.23.

Sources


Preceded by Consul of the Roman Republic
with Marcus Aemilius Barbula
230 BC 		Succeeded by
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