Lucius Fulcinius Trio

Lucius Fulcinius Trio (died AD 35) was a Roman senator who came from a plebeian family. Trio was an active prosecutor (delator) during the reign of Tiberius who developed a reputation for making accusations. He was governor of Lusitania from about 21 to 31, before returning to Rome to hold the office of consul suffect with Publius Memmius Regulus in 31. His friendship with Sejanus would lead to allegations that ended with his suicide in early 35.

Background Trio may have been from the Fulcinii, a plebeian family still active in politics during the Principate. His family had not yet achieved the rank of consul, he himself being honored with the rank of consul suffectus, which was generally reserved for novi homes. Rutledge reasons his family was therefore not likely of noble lineage.

He may have had a brother named Gaius Fulcinius Trio, attested as praetor peregrinus in 24. Trio was an imitator of the aggressive oratory style of Cassius Severus.

Trio is first seen joining the prosecution against the Scribonii brothers in 16. Marcus Scribonius Libo and Lucius Scribonius Libo were accused of conspiring against the emperor. The other accusators were "new men" Firmius Catus, Fonteius Agrippa, and Vibius Serenus. Serenus headed the prosecution, with the rest as subscriptores. Libo killed himself on 13 September 16, before the trial could be completed. Libo's goods were divided among the prosecutors, and they were all (except Serenus) elevated to the rank of praetor (extra ordinem). This trial is the earliest example of Tiberius rewarding prosecutors with political advancement, which would become a recurring theme throughout his rule.

Trio is again an accuser in 20 CE in the trial against Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso, for which he received an imperial commendation. He worked alongside Servaeus, Veranius, and Vitellius to lay down the charges against Piso, which include: provincial mismanagement, tampering with the army in Syria, and the murder of Germanicus with poison. Trio prosecuted him for financial mismanagement, the least pressing of the charges. True to his word, Tiberius made him governor of Lusitania.

While still in Lusitania, on 21 January 31, Trio offered shared client status to several freemen of the Stertinia family. Their names were: Q. (Quintus) Stertinius Bassus, Q. Stertinius Rufus, and Lucius Stertinius Rufinus. Bassus was the father of Rufus and the grandfather of Rufinus.

Consul suffect On 1 July 31, Trio became consul suffect, replacing his friend Sejanus in that role. Cassius Dio says the office was given to him by Sejanus. only 17 days before the fall of Sejanus on 18 October. Regulus took the lead in removing Sejanus. Tiberius did not trust Trio with any role in the overthrow.

The fall of Sejanus was not good for Trio. He had made many enemies in the Roman elite. The families of those he had previously accused, Libo and Piso, were friends of each other with many connections in the senate. He clung to his position and took a lead in the executions of those accused of conspiring with Sejanus, but it did no good; he was accused of being a follower of Sejanus. Trio accused Regulus of slacking in his investigations against Sejanus' alleged plot. Their accusations against each other went nowhere thanks to the intervention of other senators.

Downfall In AD 32 Decimus Haterius Agrippa attacked both Regulus and Trio to better his political position. The Senate again put a stop it. Quintus Sanquinius Maximus had Trio's trial postponed as to not give anxiety to the emperor. "This secured the safety of Regulus and the postponement of Trio's ruin" according to Tacitus. Haterius Agrippa wasn't popular and Cassius Dio says Tiberius was still grateful for Trio's performance in prosecuting Libo.

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