Marcus Publius Glabrus was a Roman patrician, senator, and general during the 1st century BC. He was appointed commander of the garrison of Rome in 73 BC through the influence of his brother-in-law Marcus Licinius Crassus, who sought to use him as a pawn against Gracchus and the Roman Senate, but his career met an ignominious end after Spartacus ambushed and defeated his army at the Battle of Mount Vesuvius. Glabrus was then banished from Latium by order of the Senate.
Biography[]
Early career[]
Glabrus and Lady Claudia Maria, 73 BC
Marcus Publius Glabrus was born in Rome, Roman Republic to a patrician family. The son of the renowned Septimus Optimus Glabrus and the brother of Helena Glabra, Marcus Glabrus served as an officer in the Roman Army during the 1st century BC, distinguishing himself during campaigns in the Levant. His sister went on to marry Marcus Licinius Crassus, and, in 73 BC, he married Lady Claudia Maria, a widowed Roman noblewoman. As a wedding gift, his brother-in-law Crassus granted Glabrus command of the garrison of Rome, having bribed the Roman Senate to agree to Glabrus' appointment. Glabrus was thankful for Crassus' favor, although Crassus only intended for Glabrus to serve as a pawn who could check the power of Gracchus and the Senate.
Servile War[]
Glabrus in the Roman Senate
However, the shrewd Gracchus proposed that the Senate send Glabrus with six cohorts from the Rome garrison to deal with Spartacus' slave army on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius at the start of the Third Servile War, thus removing Crassus' ally from Rome and also allowing for Gracchus' pupil Julius Caesar to become temporary commander of the Rome garrison. When Crassus confronted Glabrus and revealed that his orders from the Senate were part of a political scheme manufactured by Gracchus, Glabrus offered to end his expedition, but Crassus insisted that, as Glabrus had sworn before the Senate that he would defeat Spartacus, Glabrus would have to carry out his mission.
Battle of Mount Vesuvius[]
Glabrus before the Battle of Mount Vesuvius, 73 BC
Glabrus and his cohorts established a camp on Mount Vesuvius, but Glabrus neglected to build stockades or a moat, as he was not expecting a rebel attack. That night, Spartacus and his army ambushed the Roman force and annihilated it. Glabrus was asleep in his command tent when the rebel attack occurred, and he and the 14 survivors of his force were captured alive. Spartacus had Glabrus spared, although he sent him back to Rome with a broken legate's baton, telling him to warn the Senate that the slaves would defeat any army sent to crush them. The Senate was outraged at Glabrus' failure, and Crassus - hoping to prevent Glabrus from being executed for dishonoring the Roman military - successfully proposed that Glabrus be exiled from Latium. To console Glabrus, Crassus announced that he would retire to public life (secretly planning to launch a coup now that he was away from Rome), but Glabrus felt betrayed by Crassus and ended their friendship.