Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus[1] was a Roman Senator who lived in the Roman Empire in the 1st century. He might have been the brother of empress Messalina.

Biography

Early life

Corvinus was a member of the Republican gens Valeria. Corvinus was the namesake of the Senator and Augustan literary patron Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus.[2] He may have been a son of the Senator and consul Marcus Aurelius Cotta Maximus Messalinus, who was a son of Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus,[3] or possibly the son of the consul Marcus Valerius Messalla Barbatus and Domitia Lepida the Younger, thus making him the brother of Valeria Messalina, the third wife of the emperor Claudius.[4]

Political career

In 46/47AD, Corvinus was a member of the Arval Brethren. From January to April in 58AD, he served as an ordinary consul with the emperor Nero[5] and then from May to June in 58AD, as a suffect consul with Gaius Fonteius Agrippa.[6] Starting with his consulship, he was granted an annual half a million sesterces to maintain his senatorial qualifications.[7]

References

  1. ^ Biographischer Index der Antike, p.979
  2. ^ Lucan, Civil War
  3. ^ Paterculus, The Roman History, p.127
  4. ^ Lucan, Civil War
  5. ^ Shotter, Nero
  6. ^ Der Neue Pauly, Stuttgart 1999, T. 12/1 c.1110
  7. ^ Tacitus, Annales xiii.34

Sources

Political offices Preceded byNero II, andLucius Caesius Martialisas Suffect consuls Consul of the Roman Empire 58with Nero III,followed by Gaius Fonteius Agrippa Succeeded byAulus Petronius Lurco,and Aulus Paconius Sabinusas Suffect consuls
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