Gaius Norbanus Flaccus

Who is Gaius Norbanus Flaccus?

Gaius Norbanus Flaccus was a Roman politician and general during the 1st century BC.

Of Etruscan descent, Flaccus was the grandson of Gaius Norbanus. His family had suffered under the proscriptions of Lucius Cornelius Sulla, but had found favour under the regime of Julius Caesar. With Caesar's death, his allegiance passed to Octavianus, Caesar's adopted son.

Norbanus was first elected as praetor in 43 BC. With the establishment of the Second Triumvirate and the launching of the civil war against the Liberatores, in 42 BC Norbanus and another general, Decidius Saxa, were sent by Marcus Antonius and Octavianus with eight legions into Macedonia against the assassins of Julius Caesar. Ordered to march quickly to Thrace and hold the mountain passes, thus cutting off the Via Egnatia, Norbanus and Saxa met the combined advancing troops of Gaius Cassius Longinus and Marcus Junius Brutus in the neighborhood of Philippi. As they were outnumbered, Norbanus and Saxa occupied a position near Philippi which prevented the republicans advancing any further. Determined to find a way through, Brutus and Cassius managed to make Norbanus to leave this position, but Norbanus discovered the trap in time to recover the dominating position. When Brutus and Cassius managed to outflank them, Norbanus and Saxa retreated towards Amphipolis. When Marcus Antonius and the bulk of the triumvirs troops arrived, they found Amphipolis well guarded and Norbanus was left in command of the town. After the Battle of Philippi, Octavianus placed Norbanus in charge of his camp.