Decimus Valerius Asiaticus

Decimus Valerius Asiaticus (around 5 BC 47 AD, of provincial origin. second in 46 as ordinary consul with Marcus Junius Silanus as his colleague. He was the first man from Gaul to be admitted into the Roman Senate, as well as the first man from Gaul to attain the consulship.

Family background and early life Information about his family is incomplete. Asiaticus was of Allobrogian origin; in the words of Ronald Syme, "of native dynastic stock." The names of either of his parents are not known; Asiaticus had a brother, but his name is not known.

Asiaticus was born in Vienne, Isère in Gallia Narbonensis. Tiberius' successor Caligula was also a friend to Asiaticus, and may have granted him estates in Egypt.

Despite this, Asiaticus was invited to sit with Caligula on 24 January 41 at the theatre an hour prior to his assassination. When news of the deed swept through Rome and the identity of the slayers was not yet known, based on Caligula's insult to him, Asiaticus was accused of participating in Caligula's death; he replied, "I wish I had been the man." Nevertheless, some modern historians suspect Asiaticus was an accomplice in Caligula's murder. One point Swan raises is that after Caligula's death, when Asiaticus offered his name to the Senate to succeed Caligula, his candidacy was opposed by one of the known participants in the assassination, Lucius Annius Vinicianus.

Whether or not Asiaticus was involved in Caligula's death, contemporaries such as Sosibius suspected he was involved. This was doubtlessly the basis for Claudius' antipathy towards Asiaticus. Although Asiaticus accompanied Claudius in 43 on his campaign in Britain, it was arguably because Claudius mistrusted him and wanted Asiaticus where he could keep an eye on him. In a speech to the Senate, where Claudius defended the adlection of Gaulish men into the Senate, he obliquely disparaged Asiaticus, refusing to mention his name:

Purchase of the Gardens of Lucullus and downfall Sometime after his second consulship, as Asiaticus was a well-connected man of immense wealth,

The charges brought against Asiaticus were the result of a convoluted sexual conspiracy plotted by Claudius’ third wife, the empress Valeria Messalina, so she could seize Asiaticus’ gardens. he could not easily be seen as a threat to Claudius or Messalina. He committed suicide by opening his veins, Asiaticus was survived by his wife and his son.

Descendants Some historians have concluded that Asiaticus married Lollia Saturnina, However, Bernard Kavanagh has argued not only that it is more likely that Saturnina was not Asiaticus' wife, but the wife of his son, but also that, as a consequence, Lollia Saturnina was likely the niece of Lollia Paulina.

Regardless of the identity of his wife, an inscription found at Tibur provides information about the identity of his son, Decimus Valerius Asiaticus, and grandson, Marcus Lollius Paulinus Decimus Valerius Asiaticus Saturninus. It is possible that Asiaticus had other children.

Land, property and benefactions Asiaticus invested the major part of his money in real property. According to another inscription, one of the freedmen of Asiaticus was known to have become a very wealthy man, and probably owned properties in Lugdunum.