View source for Gnaeus Papirius Aelianus

{{Short description|2nd century Roman senator, consul and governor}}
'''Gnaeus Papirius Aelianus Aemilius Tuscillus''' was a [[Roman Empire|Roman]] [[Roman senate|senator]], who was active during the reign of [[Antoninus Pius]]. He was [[Roman consul|suffect consul]] in the ''[[nundinium]]'' of September-December 135 as the colleague of [[Publius Rutilius Fabianus]], as attested by two different [[military diploma]]s.<ref>[[Werner Eck]], Paul Holder and Andreas Pangerl, [https://www.jstor.org/stable/41291030 "A Diploma for the Army of Britain in 132 and Hadrian's Return to Rome from the East"], ''[[Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik]]'', 174 (2010), p.&nbsp;194</ref> Aelianus is best known for being governor of [[Roman Britain]] in 146.

[[Anthony Birley]] notes two fragmentary inscriptions recorded at [[Iliberris]] bear his name, which leads Birley to conclude Aelianus was a native of the town.<ref name=Birley-117>Birley, ''The Fasti of Roman Britain'', (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1981), p.&nbsp;117</ref> From these inscriptions we know two of the earliest steps of his [[cursus honorum]]. The earliest mentioned in the surviving fragments is [[quaestor]] of [[Achaea (Roman province)|Achaea]]; upon completion of this traditional Republican magistracy he would be enrolled in the Senate.<ref>Richard Talbert, ''The Senate of Imperial Rome'' (Princeton: University Press, 1984), p. 16</ref> After this Aelianus was commissioned [[military tribune]] for an unknown legion.<ref name=Birley-117/> Birley identifies Aelianus as the governor of [[Dacia Superior]] named on a building inscription dated to 132 at [[Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa|Sarmizegetusa]].<ref>Birley, ''The Fasti of Roman Britain'', (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1981), pp. 116f</ref>

Little is known of his tenure in Britain, although Aelianus was probably in charge of the occupation of the [[Scottish Lowlands]] following its reconquest by [[Quintus Lollius Urbicus]]. This may have been peaceful as he was able to spare troops to take part in the Moorish campaign of 145–47.<ref>[[Sheppard Frere]], ''Britannia'', Revised Edition (London: Routledge & Keegan Paul, 1978), pp. 165, 176</ref> Nor is anything known of Aelianus after he left Britain. Birley notes "it may be presumed that the homonymous ''cos. ord.'' of 184 was his grandson."<ref>Birley, ''Fasti'', p. 118</ref>

== References==
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{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef | before= [[Marcus Aemilius Papus]],<br/>and [[Lucius Burbuleius Optatus Ligarianus]]|as=suffect consul}}
{{s-ttl | title= [[List of Roman Consuls|Suffect consul]] of the [[Roman Empire]] |years= 135 |regent1 = [[Publius Rutilius Fabianus]]}}
{{s-aft | after= [[Lucius Aelius|Lucius Ceionius Commodus]],<br/>and [[Sextus Vettulenus Civica Pompeianus]]| as=ordinary consul}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Quintus Lollius Urbicus]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Roman governors of Britain]]|years=146}}
{{s-aft|after=Unknown, <br/>then [[Titus Caesernius Statianus]]}}
{{s-end}}

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[[Category:Suffect consuls of Imperial Rome]]
[[Category:Roman governors of Britain]]
[[Category:Roman governors of Dacia]]
[[Category:2nd-century Romans]]
[[Category:Papirii|Aelianus]]