Lucius Volusius Saturninus

Lucius Volusius Saturninus, also known as Lucius Volusius (died AD 20), was a Roman Senator from the powerful plebeian Volusia gens, or family. He was a cousin of emperor Tiberius.

Biography

Early life Volusius came from an ancient and distinguished Senatorial family, that according to Tacitus (56–120) had never risen above the praetorship until then. and was a pupil of his in oratory. His mother was Claudia, aunt of the future Roman emperor Tiberius. He had a sister named Volusia Saturnina.

Career Volusius was a homo novus, the first member of his family to serve as a suffect consul in 12 BC, replacing Publius Sulpicius Quirinius. According to Tacitus, he held censorial functions for the selection of equestrians as members of the judicature, and became the first person in his family to amass wealth, for which his family became greatly conspicuous. Several years later he served as proconsular governor of Africa for 7/6 BC, as attested by coins of Acholla and Hadrumetum. From AD 4 to 5, Volusius served as a Roman Governor of Syria. Based on inscriptional evidence, the Horrea Volusiana was either built by Volusius or his grandson Quintus Volusius Saturninus, consul in 56. Polla bore Volusius a son, Lucius Volusius Saturninus, suffect consul in AD 3, and a daughter Volusia Saturnina. Some older authorities claim that Volusius and Nonia Polla had another daughter, Volusia Cornelia, but Rudolf Hanslik has shown she was the daughter of another Voluisus Saturninus, the consul of the year 92.