Sulpicius Florus

[Cavok]

Dear Learned and estemed Godlike immortals.

Sulpicius Florus was mentioned by Tacitus in 69 AD as a Briton in the Auxilliary who in a revolt killed or took part in the killing of Piso. Probably a bad carreer move which is why I will never go on to be a Centurian!

Having based my Character on this guy i was wondering if anything more detailed is known of him? Tribe in England that sort of thing. Can anyone help me?

[Nathan Ross]

He probably wasn't a Briton, actually!

Tacitus says: Sulpicius Florus e Britannicis cohortibus, nuper a Galba civitate donatus (Sulpicius Florus, of the British auxiliary cohorts, to whom Galba had lately given the citizenship), Histories I.43

Since we learn earlier in the account (I.6) that "many detachments from Germany, Britain, and Illyricum, which Nero had likewise selected and sent to the Caspian Gates to take part in the campaign which he was preparing against the Albani, but he had recalled" were in or around Rome at the time, it would seem likely that Florus was a soldier of one of the auxiliary cohorts from Britain. There were possibly some native British recruits to the Roman army at this date, but Florus was far more likely a German, Gaul or Spaniard.

The question of why Galba had given him citizenship is entirely mysterious. Tacitus implies it was a personal thing, but perhaps citizenship had been given to Florus's entire cohort, maybe as a reward for acclaiming Galba when he arrived from Spain? I don't know what the earliest date for civium romanorum cohorts in the British garrison might be, or whether the distinction would have been honoured after Galba's fall.

Alternatively, if Florus was a Spaniard he (or his family) may have had some prior connection to Galba, who had served as governor of Spain for several years. This could explain a personal grant of citizenship, perhaps...

[Vindex]

He probably wasn't a Briton, actually!

Tacitus says: Sulpicius Florus e Britannicis cohortibus, nuper a Galba civitate donatus (Sulpicius Florus, of the British auxiliary cohorts, to whom Galba had lately given the citizenship), Histories I.43

Since we learn earlier in the account (I.6) that "many detachments from Germany, Britain, and Illyricum, which Nero had likewise selected and sent to the Caspian Gates to take part in the campaign which he was preparing against the Albani, but he had recalled" were in or around Rome at the time, it would seem likely that Florus was a soldier of one of the auxiliary cohorts from Britain. There were possibly some native British recruits to the Roman army at this date, but Florus was far more likely a German, Gaul or Spaniard.

The question of why Galba had given him citizenship is entirely mysterious. Tacitus implies it was a personal thing, but perhaps citizenship had been given to Florus's entire cohort, maybe as a reward for acclaiming Galba when he arrived from Spain? I don't know what the earliest date for civium romanorum cohorts in the British garrison might be, or whether the distinction would have been honoured after Galba's fall.

Alternatively, if Florus was a Spaniard he (or his family) may have had some prior connection to Galba, who had served as governor of Spain for several years. This could explain a personal grant of citizenship, perhaps...

Agree with most of that but particularly the last paragraph. If Florus was granted citizenship by Galba in appreciation of his support, it could account for the adoption of the name Sulpicius (since Galba was Servius Sulpicius Galba as emperor aligning himself with the influential Servii family and Lucius Livius Ocella before that out of respect for his father's second wife).