Lex Vatinia in the context of Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus (consul 58 BC)

⭐ Core Definition: Lex Vatinia

The lex Vatinia (probably passed in May or early June 59 BC) also known as the lex Vatinia de provincia Caesaris or the lex Vatinia de imperio Caesaris, was legislation which gave Gaius Julius Caesar governorship of the provinces of Cisalpine Gaul and Illyricum for five years. It was named after and proposed, in the Tribal Assembly, by plebeian tribune Publius Vatinius. Along with the provinces, it also gave him the three legions already present there and the privilege of naming his own legates. Caesar also received Titus Labienus as legatus cum imperio in the law; Labienus' appointment may have been, according to Syme, a sign of friendship between Pompey and Caesar.

Caesar seemed to want to use the law to prepare for a war of choice against the kingdom of Dacia. However, after the unexpected death of the governor of Transalpine Gaul, and at the proposal of Pompey and Piso, the senate also added to Caesar's assigned provinces the further Gaul as well, giving him another legion. According to Cicero and Suetonius, the senate's assignment was done out of fear that if they did not do so, a tribune would introduce and the people would pass further legislation assigning the province as well.

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⭐ Core Definition: Lex Vatinia
Lex Vatinia in the context of Caesar's civil war
Lex Vatinia in the context of Publius Vatinius

Lex Vatinia in the context of Caesar's civil war

Caesar's civil war (49–45 BC) was a civil war during the late Roman Republic between two factions led by Julius Caesar and Pompey. The main cause of the war was political tensions relating to Caesar's place in the Republic on his expected return to Rome on the expiration of his governorship in Gaul.

Before the war, Caesar had led an invasion of Gaul for almost ten years. A build-up of tensions starting in late 50 BC, with both Caesar and Pompey refusing to back down, led to the outbreak of civil war. Pompey and his allies induced the Senate to demand Caesar give up his provinces and armies in the opening days of 49 BC. Caesar refused and instead marched on Rome.

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Lex Vatinia in the context of Publius Vatinius

Publius Vatinius was a Roman politician during the last decades of the Republic. He served as a Caesarian-allied plebeian tribune in the year 59 – he was the tribune that proposed the law giving Caesar his Gallic command – and later fought on that side of the civil war. Caesar made him consul in 47 BC; he later fought in Illyricum for the Caesarians and celebrated a triumph for his victories there in 42 BC.

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