Caius Trebonius in book Caesar\'s Gallic Wars

[JeffF]

Throughout the books of Caesar's Gallic Wars he refers to Caius Trebonius who described as a Legatus. In book VI when describing the Germani attack on Cicero's camp he mentions a Caius Trebonius who he describes as a Romanus Equestrian who was put in charge of 300 veterans on a foraging excursion (but apparently not in command of the cohorts of new troops doing the same thing) who successfully charged through the Germani and gained the safety of the camp.

My question, is this the same Caius Trebonius who is a Legatus under Caesar? I ask this because I assumed the Legati would all be of senatorial rank and also because I find it difficult to believe one of Caesar's chief subordinates would be put in charge of a detachment of 300 men. Is it reasonable to assuume that this is a different Caius Trebonius, a knight and probably a Tribune, who shared the name of Caius Trebonius with another individual of senatorial rank? I remember reading somewhere that in this period of Roman history the sons of senatorial ranked fathers were considered to be in the Equestrian order but cannot remember where I read that.

Thanks,

Jeff

[Nathan Ross]

They were different men. The senatorial legate Trebonius is actually described as being elsewhere commanding three legions while his equestrian namesake (probably some relation, possibly his son - senator's sons could be members of the ordo eques, as you say) was otherwise engaged at Aduatuca.

There was some discussion of the two Trebonii, and what rank and role the equestrian one might have had, in a longer debate about the role of tribunes in the republican legion.

- Nathan

[JeffF]

Nathan,
Thanks for the link to the previous discussion.
Jeff