Publius Cornelius Dolabella (consul 44 BC)

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Publius Cornelius Dolabella (Template:Circa – 43 BC, also known by his adoptive name Lentulus)Template:Sfn was a Roman politician and general under the dictator Julius Caesar. He was by far the most important of the patrician Cornelii Dolabellae<ref name=EB1911>Template:EB1911</ref> but he arranged for himself to be adopted into the plebeian Cornelii Lentuli so that he could become a plebeian tribune.<ref>Oxford Classical Dictionary. (3rd ed., 1996) p. 394; Cassius Dio. Roman History, xlii.29.1.</ref> He married Cicero's daughter, Tullia, although he frequently engaged in extramarital affairs. Throughout his life he was an extreme profligate, something that Plutarch wrote reflected ill upon his patron Julius Caesar.

Biography

Early life

His father was likely the urban praetor of 69 BC, Publius Cornelius Dolabella, who also served as governor of Asia.Template:Sfn<ref name=Dolabellae/> Dolabella was related to the Servilii Caepiones.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Dolabella's birth date is uncertain.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Military and political careers

In the Civil Wars (49–45 BC) Dolabella at first took the side of Pompey, but afterwards went over to Julius Caesar, and was present when Caesar prevailed at the Battle of Pharsalus (48 BC).<ref name=EB1911/>

Dolabella had himself adopted by a plebeian so that he could become tribune of the plebs. His adoptive father has been supposed to have been a Lentulus Marcellinus (but the plebeian status of people of this branch is disputed) or Lentulus Vatia Template:Efn-lr but there is no certainty in the matter.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In either case the adopter would likely have been a supporter of Caesar.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> There was also a woman named Livia who expressed interest in adopting Dolabella (possibly on the behalf of her husband, since women could not adopt legally), but it is unknown if this woman's proposal was in any way connected to his adoption by Lentulus.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

As a tribune for the plebs for 47 BC, Dolabella had tried to bring about constitutional changes, one of which (to escape the urgent demands of his creditors) was a bill proposing that all debts should be canceled.<ref name=EB1911/> He tried to enlist the support of Mark Antony, but his fellow tribunes Gaius Asinius Pollio, consul in 40 BC, and Lucius Trebellius Fides advised Antony not to support the measure. Antony, who also suspected he had been cuckolded by Dolabella, took up arms against him when Dolabella occupied the Forum in an attempt to use force to pass the bill. The Senate voted to support this, and a clash ensued in which both sides took losses.<ref>Plutarch: Antony, c. 9, in Plutarch, Roman Lives Template:ISBN</ref> Upon his return from Alexandria, Caesar, seeing the expediency of removing Dolabella from Rome, pardoned him,<ref>Antony, c. 10, ibid.</ref> and subsequently took him as one of his generals in the expedition to Africa and Spain.<ref name=EB1911/>

After Caesar had returned to Rome and been elected consul for the fifth time, he proposed to the Senate that his consulship be transferred to Dolabella. Antony protested, causing a huge disruption that made Caesar withdraw the motion out of shame. Later, Caesar exercised his role as dictator and directly proclaimed Dolabella consul.<ref>Dio 43.51.8.</ref> This time Antony called out that the omens were unfavorable and Caesar again backed down and abandoned Dolabella.<ref>Antony, 11.3, less clear from Dio.</ref>

On Caesar's death in 44 BC, Dolabella seized the insignia of the consulship (which had already been conditionally promised him), and, by making friends with Brutus and the other assassins, was confirmed in his office. When, however, Mark Antony offered him the command of the expedition against the Parthians and the province of Syria, he changed sides at once. His journey to the province was marked by plundering, extortion, and the murder of Gaius Trebonius, governor of Asia, who refused to allow him to enter Smyrna.<ref name=EB1911/>

Dolabella was thereupon declared a public enemy and superseded by Cassius who attacked him in Laodicea. When Cassius's troops captured the place (43 BC), Dolabella ordered one of his soldiers to kill him.<ref name=EB1911/>

Marriages

Dolabella was married to a woman named Fabia and had a son by the same name with her.<ref name=Dolabellae>Template:Cite book</ref> The son may have been Publius Cornelius Dolabella the consul of 35 BC.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> He was also married to Cicero's daughter Tullia Template:Efn-lr in 50 BC.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In May 49 BC she gave birth to a premature son of seven months<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> that did not survive long after birth.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In 45 BC Tullia divorced him and gave birth to a son named Lentulus at her father's house, some weeks after the birth she died of complications and the boy is suspected to have died young<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> since his grandfather Cicero does not mention him after 45 BC.<ref name=Sons>Template:Cite web</ref>

Cultural depictions

Stage

Dolabella plays a focal role in John Dryden's 1600s play All for Love, where he is portrayed as warning Cleopatra Template:Efn-lr about Octavian planning to kidnap her and her children to Rome, which convinces Cleopatra to kill herself. This version of Dolabella is highly fictionalized and a composite character of several ancient Roman people.<ref>The Works of John Dryden, Vol. 13, p. 415</ref> A similar version of Dolabella appears in William Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra as an ally of Octavian, though again this is likely a composite character.