Marcus Agrippa

[Ingsoc]

I have a few questions concerning Marcus Agrippa, I would appriciate if someone who had his biography writen by Meyer Reinhold could answer them (this book is pretty much impossible to get )

 

1. I understand he produced a new brand of ship to the Roman Navy in order to fight Sexstus Pompius, could someone give me the ship name? also what kind of improvment did he do to the grappling hook device?

 

2. Why and who arrange his merried to Caecilia Attica? (I assume it's was a political merriage).

 

3. What was exacly his part in the battle of philipi? (I just know he fought there along side Augustus).

 

4. Ancient sources (I believe it's was Cassius Dio) describe him as of humble origins, what exacly that means? (I read he was of a rich Equestrian family, which is not very "humble")

 

5. He serve as an officer under Julius Caesar in the late civil war, what was his job exacly and connection to Augustus at that time? (did he serve under him?)

[Primus Pilus]

1. I understand he produced a new brand of ship to the Roman Navy in order to fight Sexstus Pompius, could someone give me the ship name? also what kind of improvment did he do to the grappling hook device?

 

Not a new ship necessarily, but Agrippa's fleet used larger, heavier ships. The original planked boarding device, or corvus (the crow), was improved to be more stable presumably to prevent damage to ships and men going overboard in rough waters. It's new name was harpax or arpax (seemingly a root of the word harpoon). Its seems only to have been used at Naulochus as naval warfare on any large scale virtually ceased after the defeat of Sextus Pompeius.

Appian Civil Wars book 4; ch. 118 - 119

 

What was exacly his part in the battle of philipi? (I just know he fought there along side Augustus).

 

As far as I can recall, none of the main sources (Appian, Plutarch, Nicolaus of Damascus, Cassius Dio, Paterculus) mention him as taking part, but his presence is presumed.

 

4. Ancient sources (I believe it's was Cassius Dio) describe him as of humble origins, what exacly that means? (I read he was of a rich Equestrian family, which is not very "humble")

 

This thread... Agrippa or Octavian -- descendents of slaves?... should prove useful.

 

5. He serve as an officer under Julius Caesar in the late civil war, what was his job exacly and connection to Augustus at that time? (did he serve under him?)

 

There is very little source material for this. The sources (such as Nicolaus of Damascus in Life of Augustus ch. 7) all do mention that Octavian and Agrippa were friends but specific interaction with Caesar is limited.

[The Augusta]

I have a few questions concerning Marcus Agrippa, I would appriciate if someone who had his biography writen by Meyer Reinhold could answer them (this book is pretty much impossible to get )

 

Even I had to get a copy from the British Library. The book is definitely out of print, which is a pity. However... my lips are sealed

 

1. I understand he produced a new brand of ship to the Roman Navy in order to fight Sexstus Pompius, could someone give me the ship name? also what kind of improvment did he do to the grappling hook device?

 

Primus has answered all of your questions, Ingsoc - but I can supply a few more snippets to supplement his knowledge. During the Sicilian War, Agrippa employed quinqueremes, however, he learned from this. They were cumbersome galleys, and at Actium, he employed the faster Liburnians to outmanouevre Cleo's quinqueremes. (This is in Reinhold) As for the harpax - the improvement he made to it was, I believe, that it could be shot over much longer distances at greater speed from a catapult.

 

2. Why and who arrange his merried to Caecilia Attica? (I assume it's was a political merriage).

 

The ancient sources are silent on this one, but it is assumed that Octavian helped! I remember recently reading some theory that Antony arranged it, but I have totally dismissed this out of hand, I'm afraid. Nor can I for the life of me remember where I read it! (Shows how impressed I was... )

 

3. What was exacly his part in the battle of philipi? (I just know he fought there along side Augustus).

 

Again, as Primus states, this is unknown, but Reinhold speculates that he was probably in charge of a wing of cavalry. Salvidienus was in charge of the advance fleet and was then Octavian's leading general for the land battles. Whatever capacity Agrippa appeared in at Philippi, he was clearly subordinate to Salvidienus at this stage.

 

4. Ancient sources (I believe it's was Cassius Dio) describe him as of humble origins, what exacly that means? (I read he was of a rich Equestrian family, which is not very "humble")

 

Again, the theory of his being born Equestrian seems to be a modern one and has no evidence in the primary sources. I would agree with Reinhold's theory being the most p0lausible here - Octavian raised him and Salvidienus to Equestrian rank when he returned to Italy after Caesar's murder.

 

5. He serve as an officer under Julius Caesar in the late civil war, what was his job exacly and connection to Augustus at that time? (did he serve under him?)

 

Indeed, we do not know in what capacity he served. Reinhold conjectures that he certainly served in the Spanish Wars, perhaps as a junior tribune. No one knows either how he and Octavian met, or when, but the consensus among the ancients seemed to be that they were educated together - which can mean anything from schoolboys to youths at 'university' in Apollonia.

 

PM me for more on Meyer's biography. It is extremely informative, but I warn you, it is written in the old academic style with half a page of footnotes to text. However, I found the footnotes themselves to be a mine of information.

 

Hope this is of some help.

Edited May 11, 2007 by The Augusta

[Praebitorae]

Written a surch for this book to R.B in Hay on Way biggest 2d hand bookshop at least in Europe.

In 10 Day's well know.

Edited September 25, 2007 by Praebitorae

[Praebitorae]

Written a surch for this book to R.B in Hay on Way biggest 2d hand bookshop at least in Europe.

In 10 Day's well know.

I hope he's got it ,even bether if has 2 ..

Edited September 25, 2007 by Praebitorae