Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa
Roman general, statesman, and right-hand man of Augustus
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa (c. 63 BC – 12 BC) was a Roman general and statesman, known as a close friend, son-in-law, and lieutenant to Emperor Augustus. His military career is highlighted by the victory at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC against Mark Antony and Cleopatra. He also oversaw the construction of several notable buildings, including the original Pantheon.
Born into a plebeian family somewhere in Roman Italy, Agrippa first met the future emperor Augustus—then called Octavian—in Apollonia, Illyria. After Julius Caesar’s assassination in 44 BC, Octavian returned to Italy, and around this time Agrippa became tribune of the plebs. He fought alongside Octavian and Mark Antony at the Battle of Philippi. In 40 BC, as praetor urbanus, he played a key role in the Perusine War against Lucius Antonius and Fulvia. He was appointed governor of Transalpine Gaul in 39 or 38 BC, where he suppressed a revolt of the Aquitanians and campaigned against Germanic tribes. Despite being well under the usual minimum age of 43, he was made consul for 37 BC to oversee preparations for war against Sextus Pompeius, who had cut off Rome’s grain supply.
Agrippa defeated Pompey at the battles of Mylae and Naulochus in 36 BC. In 33 BC, he served as curule aedile. He commanded Octavian’s fleet at Actium in 31 BC. After Octavian became emperor as Augustus, Agrippa remained his close friend and lieutenant, helping transform Rome into “a city of marble.” He renovated aqueducts to provide high-quality public services for all social classes and created many baths, porticoes, and gardens. He was granted powers nearly equal to Augustus’s, including veto power over Senate acts and the ability to present laws for popular approval. He died in 12 BC at age 50–51. Augustus gave him a magnificent funeral and mourned for over a month; his remains were placed in Augustus’s own mausoleum.
Agrippa was also a writer, especially on geography. Under his supervision, Julius Caesar’s plan for a full survey of the empire was completed. From this material, he made a circular chart, later engraved on marble by Augustus and placed in a colonnade built by his sister Vipsania Polla. He married Julia the Elder, who later married Emperor Tiberius, and was maternal grandfather of Caligula and maternal great-grandfather of Nero.
Agrippa was born in an uncertain location. His father was Lucius Vipsanius; his mother’s name is unknown. Pliny the Elder claimed his cognomen “Agrippa” came from being born breech, possibly causing his mother’s death in childbirth. Pliny also said Agrippa was lame as a child. He had an elder brother also named Lucius Vipsanius and a sister, Vipsania Polla. His family came from the Italian countryside, plebeian and humbler than Rome’s highest families, though wealthy compared to average Romans. Some scholars suggest the family originally came from Pisa in Etruria. They likely gained Roman citizenship after the Social War in 87 BC and moved to Rome for social mobility.
Agrippa and Octavian were the same age, educated together, and became close friends. Despite Agrippa’s ties to Julius Caesar’s family, his elder brother fought for Cato against Caesar in Africa. After Cato’s defeat, Octavian secured the brother’s release. It is unclear if Agrippa fought against his brother, but he likely served in Caesar’s 46–45 BC campaign against Gnaeus Pompeius, culminating at Munda. Caesar thought highly enough of him to send him with Octavian in 45 BC to study in Apollonia with Macedonian legions. Four months later, news of Caesar’s assassination arrived. Agrippa and Quintus Salvidienus Rufus advised Octavian to march on Rome with the troops, but Octavian sailed to Italy with a small retinue, learning upon arrival that Caesar had adopted him.
After Octavian’s return to Rome, Agrippa helped levy troops in Campania. Octavian then formed the Second Triumvirate with Mark Antony and Lepidus in 43 BC. Octavian and his consular colleague Quintus Pedius prosecuted Caesar’s assassins, and Agrippa handled the case against Gaius Cassius Longinus. Possibly that same year, Agrippa began his political career as tribune of the plebs, gaining entry to the Senate. In 42 BC, he likely fought alongside Octavian and Antony at the Battle of Philippi.
- born
- c. 63 BC, uncertain location in Roman Italy
- died
- 12 BC, aged 50–51
- field
- Military, statesmanship, architecture, geography
- nationality
- Roman
- known_for
- Battle of Actium, construction of the Pantheon, renovation of aqueducts, creation of baths and gardens
Lore & Background
Born to a plebeian family c. 63 BC, in an uncertain location in Roman Italy, he met the future emperor Augustus, then known as Octavian, at Apollonia, in Illyria. Following the assassination of Octavian's great-uncle Julius Caesar in 44 BC, Octavian returned to Italy. Around this time, Agrippa was elected tribune of the plebs. He served as a military commander, fighting alongside Octavian and Caesar's former general and right-hand man Marcus Antonius in the Battle of Philippi. In 40 BC, he was praetor urbanus and played a major role in the Perusine war against Lucius Antonius and Fulvia, respectively the brother and wife of Marcus Antonius. In 39 or 38 BC, Agrippa was appointed governor of Transalpine Gaul. In 38 BC, he put down a rising of the Aquitanians and fought the Germanic tribes. He was made consul for 37 BC, despite being well below the usual minimum age of 43, in order to oversee the preparations for war against Sextus Pompeius (Pompey), who had cut off grain shipments to Rome. Agrippa defeated Pompey in the battles of Mylae and Naulochus in 36 BC. In 33 BC, he served as curule aedile. Agrippa commanded the victorious Octavian's fleet at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC. A few years after the victory at Actium, Octavian became emperor and took the title of Princeps, while Agrippa remained as his close friend and lieutenant. Agrippa assisted Augustus in making Rome 'a city of marble'. Agrippa renovated aqueducts to provide Roman citizens from every social class access to the highest quality public services, and was responsible for the creation of many baths, porticoes, and gardens. He was also awarded powers almost as great as those of Augustus. He had veto power over the acts of the Senate and the power to present laws for approval by the People. He died in 12 BC at the age of 50–51. Augustus honoured his memory with a magnificent funeral and spent over a month in mourning. His remains were placed in Augustus' own mausoleum. Agrippa was also known as a writer, especially on geography. Under his supervision, Julius Caesar's design of having a complete survey of the empire made was accomplished. From the materials at hand he constructed a circular chart, which was engraved on marble by Augustus and afterwards placed in the colonnade built by his sister Vipsania Polla. Agrippa was also husband to Julia the Elder (who had later married the second emperor
Reader's Guide
Agrippa was born c. 63 BC, in an uncertain location. His father was called Lucius Vipsanius. His mother's name is not known. He had an elder brother whose name was also Lucius Vipsanius, and a sister named Vipsania Polla. His family originated in the Italian countryside, and was of humbler and plebeian origins when compared to the highest families of the Roman aristocracy. They had not been prominent in Roman public life (but were nevertheless massively wealthy if compared to the average Roman family). According to some scholars, including Victor Gardthausen, R. E. A. Palmer, and David Ridgway, Agrippa's family was originally from Pisa in Etruria. Agrippa's family most likely gained Roman citizenship after the Social War in 87 BC and, like many other Italians, immigrated to Rome to take advantage of the social mobility opportunities that arose at the war's end. Agrippa was the same age as Octavian (later Augustus), and the two were educated together and became close friends. Despite Agrippa's association with the family of Julius Caesar, his elder brother chose the opposing side in the civil wars of the 40s BC, fighting under Cato against Caesar in Africa. When Cato's forces were defeated, Agrippa's brother was taken prisoner but freed after Octavian interceded on his behalf. It is not known whether Agrippa fought against his brother in Africa, but he probably served in Caesar's campaign of 46 to 45 BC against Gnaeus Pompeius, which culminated in the Battle of Munda. Caesar regarded him highly enough to send him with Octavian in 45 BC to study in Apollonia (on the Illyrian coast) with the Macedonian legions, while Caesar consolidated his power in Rome. In the fourth month of their stay in Apollonia the news of Julius Caesar's assassination in March 44 BC reached them. Agrippa and another friend, Quintus Salvidienus Rufus, advised Octavian to march on Rome with the troops from Macedonia, but Octavian decided to sail to Italy with a small retinue. After his arrival, he learned that Caesar had adopted him as his legal heir. After Octavian's return to Rome, he and his supporters realised they needed the support of legions. Agrippa helped Octavian to levy troops in Campania. Once Octavian had his legions, he made a pact with Mark Antony and Lepidus, legally established in 43 BC as the Second Triumvirate. Octavian and his consular colleague Quintus Pedius arranged
Did You Know?
- Agrippa was responsible for the construction of the original Pantheon.
- He was the maternal grandfather of Caligula and the maternal great-grandfather of the Emperor Nero.
- Agrippa refused a triumph for his victories in Gaul because he thought it improper to celebrate during a time of trouble for Octavian.
- He constructed a circular chart of the Roman Empire, which was later engraved on marble by Augustus.
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