From Mule Driver to General

The Amazing Life of Publius Ventidius

Roman Lives, Life in Rome

From Prisoner of War to Donkey driver to General, the amazing life of Publius Ventidius

Issue 6. 14.7.25

(pridie Idus Iulias anno MMDCCLXXVIII ab urbe condita)

Editorial

Welcome to issue 6 of Roman Lives, Life in Rome. I’m constantly playing with this relatively new format, and for now I’m going to alternate between “Roman Lives” and “Life in Rome”, to make the newsletter a bit shorter and easier to read, and a bit less time consuming for me, to give me more time to write my novels (unless I change my mind by next month!). Consequently, what was going to be two articles, one about Ventidius and one about Roman concepts of honour etc, will now form two newsletters.

Thank you for everyone who has bought Caesar’s Avenger, and for all the lovely reviews. If you have read it and haven’t left a review or a rating yet, on Goodreads or Amazon for example, please consider taking a moment to do so – reviews make a huge difference to visibility on Amazon, and also are a great way of giving me feedback – even negative comments can be helpful. I’ve put a selection of recent reviews in the commercial break section below.

I’m currently in the middle of edits for Caesar’s Nemesis, the final book in the Mark Antony quadrilogy – then it’s off for copyediting in August. Unfortunately the book isn’t out until next June as I’m I’m well ahead of the publishing schedule, but I am still writing other works in the meantime – hopefully news of this to follow in due course.

As always, feel free to comment/engage/interact with me on social media or on Substack (see links at the end of the newsletter).

Don’t forget to subscribe to my other, more occasional, newsletter, Alex Gough on Ancient Rome and More. for news about Roman history and Roman writing, fiction and non-fiction.

Commercial break

Caesar’s Avenger by Alex Gough

The e-zine continues below if you want to skip this bit (but please don’t). Book three of my Mark Antony series, Caesar’s Avenger, is out now, on kindle, as hardback and as audio! Available from Amazon here.

Some recent Amazon and Goodread reviews:

“Alex Gough, my favourite author of Roman historical fiction, returns with Caesar's Avenger - the third in his Mark Antony series. And what can I say, really?

If you've read this author before, you know he's brilliant. Gough has a keen eye for historical detail, but like the best historical fiction authors, he doesn't let it get in the way of a thrilling yarn. It throws you headfirst into the tumultuous period after Caesar's death, with all the double dealing and political machinations that go with that. It'll definitely keep you hooked, as it did for me. I finished this in a weekend!

And it's not just the excellent plot. Gough's characters are equally well-drawn. He brings all these incredible figures to life on the page, making you feel as if you could reach out and touch them.

There should be a celebration every time Alex Gough puts out a book. He is one of the most consistent authors of historical fiction today, putting out great book after great book. You owe yourself a read of this one!”

[Very kind – thank you!]

“Really enjoying this series, reminiscent of the Rome TV series only better battle descriptions and more in-depth characters less sex and debauchery. Locations and battles wonderfully depicted. Definitely the best I've read of this era.”

[Apologies for the lack of debauchery!]

“Caesar’s Avenger continues Alex Gough’s excellent series focusing on Marc Anthony. If the final book is of similar quality to this and the previous two novels, then this series will be up there with the best historical fiction series. I would recommend for any fans of Roman fiction or military fiction. This novel focuses on the events following Caesars death and the creation of the Triumvirate with Octavian and Lepidus. The ending to the story leaves the series on a cliff hanger and very much looking forward to the conclusion to the series, although with slight trepidation, knowing the historical outcome for Anthony and Cleopatra.”

“Thanks to Canelo for the review copy! Caesar's Avenger is the story of Antony (called Mark Antony on the cover but mercifully just Antony throughout the book) in the aftermath of the assassination of Caesar, up until late 40BC. This is actually the 3rd book in a series, but I was confident I could easily pick up from where this book starts. I was right; it works perfectly well as a standalone if you're familiar with the events already.

And it was an excellent surprise! I read it in two sittings, I found it gripping. Antony is an engaging, complex man. He's torn between loyalty, ambition, love, anger, anxiety... Fulvia gets the attention she deserves, with Antony regularly relying on her advice and praising her qualities. Octavian, through Antony's eyes, is an irritating yet impressive newcomer, with incredible political acumen for his young age. All the characters come alive on page, yes, even Lepidus! Much of the book focuses on politics: the strategies Antony devises with Fulvia's help, his analysis of his various allies and opponents, the battles between the different factions, the proscriptions... I thought it was fascinating, and even though I'm very familiar with these events, I was never bored.
Bonus point for that one chapter ending with 'What could go wrong?' and the next starting with 'Things started to go wrong almost immediately'. I love when a book can catch you off guard with quietly funny moments like that. Minus point for calling August August before it was actually named August (it's one of my pet peeves) but I think it's just one instance and it's called Sextilis the rest of the time so I forgive it.
A few things I disagreed with, like the suggestion that Agrippa had attempted to have Antony assassinated behind Octavian's back, but I really enjoyed the author's chapter notes explaining the decisions he made and the sources he used. Overall, it was a very realistic and accurate novel. Once more, Canelo doesn't disappoint in the realm of historical fiction, and I will definitely read the earlier books asap! A fourth book is also announced for 2026 to finish Antony's story, and it will be fantastic to be in Antony's head as his life reaches its conclusion. I can't wait!”

From the back cover:

The greatest moment in Roman history, from the perspective of the man who could have had it all.

Julius Caesar is dead. Mark Antony, his second in command, is surely also in the sights of the assassins.

But for Antony, where there is danger, there is opportunity. Can he seize the chance, and replace Caesar as Rome's undisputed ruler?

The portents are good until a young man by the name of Octavian appears, claiming to be Caesar's heir…

The months and years that follow are a time of shifting alliances, betrayals and score settling. Above all, Antony must fulfil his vow to avenge Caesar and destroy his killers, Brutus and Cassius, while also stopping Rome from falling apart...

Praise for the Mark Antony series:

'A bold and exciting recreation of the Roman world' Harry Sidebottom, author of the Warrior of Rome series

'A compelling and admirably detailed opening act to what promises to be a truly epic saga.' Ian Ross, author of the Twilight of Empire series

'Roman fiction has a new master in Alex Gough.' S. J. A. Turney, author of the Marius' Mules series

'Caesar’s Soldier puts flesh on the historical bones of Marcus Antonius... The first in a series, Caesar’s Soldier leaves us eagerly awaiting the next volume' Amanda Cockrell, author of The Borderlands Books

'A tour de force from a master of Roman fiction' Gordon Doherty, author of the Rise of Emperors series

'A fascinating account of a complex and compelling man' Ruth Downie, author of the Medicus Series

'Another thrilling Roman read from Alex Gough, sparkling with life' Alison Morton, author of the Roma Nova Thrillers

Roman Lives: Publius Ventidius

Denarius depicting Publius Ventidius holding an olive branch.

“Military mint traveling in Cilicia or northern Syria;

Mark Antony, imperator. M · (ANT) IM · III · V · R · P [· C], bare head right; lituus to left

[P] VE(NT)IDI PO(NT) IMP, Jupiter(?) standing right, holding scepter in right hand, olive branch in left.”

Source Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. http://www.cngcoins.com, Wikimedia commons.

Publius Ventidius is a relative unknown these days, but in the time of Julius Caesar and Mark Antony he achieved considerable fame, not least because of his meteoric rise from nowhere to become consul and one of the Republic’s most successful generals. What is known of his life is pieced together from sources such as Plutarch, Juvenal, Cicero and Pliny. Wylie, referenced below, does an excellent job of examining these sources to describe Ventidius’ life, and Gareth Sampson’s excellent book on the Parthian wars of 40-20BC is a great resource on the subject.

Social mobility was not unheard of in Ancient Rome, and from the time of the Emperors onwards it was relatively common for the lowly born to make their way to positions of power – for example Narcissus, the freedman of Claudius, or even the emperor Pertinax, whose father was a freedman (i.e. a freed slave). But this was less common in the times of the Republic. It was hard enough breaking into the Senate even if you came from a wealthy family if you were not part of the establishment, and it was a big deal to become a “novus homo” or new man – the first in your family to rise to serve as consul (or to serve in the Senate, depending on your definition). Both Cicero and Gaius Marius were novi homines, and both seemed to have had a big chip on their shoulders because of their backgrounds, and the way their peers looked down on them.

Publius Ventidius was also a novus homo, attaining the consulship in 43 BC. However, his beginnings were much less illustrious than even Cicero or Marius. It has been suggested that he was a slave, although this seems unlikely. It is known that his father was the first of the family to even achieve Roman citizenship. His family were from Picenum in the north-east of Italy. Picenum’s loyalty was split in the Social War, in which Rome’s allied Italian states rebelled in order, not to gain independence from Rome, but to get closer ties. Ventidius’ family must have fought against Rome, for when he was a child, he and his mother were captured and forced to march in the Triumph of Pompey Strabo (father of Pompey the Great) as prisoners of war.

He is next heard of, according to Cicero, employed as a mule driver for an army bakery, a physically demanding job that must have seen him working in all weathers for precious little reward. By fair means or foul, he accumulated enough cash to start a business trading mules and carriages to magistrates who had been allotted provinces. It is in this capacity he is thought to have met the up-and-coming Julius Caesar, who was on his way to take up his position in Gaul near the start of his military career. Caesar must have seen something he liked in the young Ventidius – perhaps a practicality when it came to pack animals and supply lines, for he tempted him away from civilian life to join his army and look after the baggage train. The baggage train was a vital part of an army in motion, containing food and fodder, ammunition, supplies for fortification, treasure to pay the soldiers, and loot. Losing it would be a disaster, as Mark Antony was later to find to his cost.

Ventidius therefore joined Caesar around 58BC, and probably stayed with him throughout the Gallic Wars. It is likely in this time that his sound grasp of logistics elevated him further in Caesar’s eyes, and he was probably involved in commanding large numbers of men and animals, for example in sieges.

Wylie contrasts Ventidius with Caesar’s second-in-command in Gaul, Labienus. Both of these men were of humble origins, and neither were trusted to leave Gaul and take up political power, unlike Curio and Antony (see the second novel in my Mark Antony series, Caesar’s General). Jealousy of Antony may have caused Labienus to defect to Pompey. Ventidius, with an apparently pleasant temperament, who was a friend to both Caesar and Antony, stayed loyal.

Around 47BC, Caesar enrolled Ventidius in the Senate as a reward for his services, and he became Tribune of the Plebs in 46BC. Caesar nominated him for Praetor, a position he took up in 43 BC after Caesar was murdered in 44BC. He soon after began recruiting troops for Antony, who was now at odds with the Senate. He raised three legions, but did not reach Antony in time to prevent his defeat at the battle of Mutina – nevertheless Cicero proclaimed him a public enemy because of his support for Antony. Immediately after Mutina, Octavian, who at this stage was allied with the Senate, approached Ventidius to join him. Ventidius stayed loyal to Antony, and this, together with the Senate preferring Decimus Brutus to Octavian, may have persuaded the young Octavian to switch sides to join Antony. Ventidius marched his legions in an impressive feat cross-country, eluding Decimus Brutus on the way, to join Antony – a forced march of 220 miles over mountainous terrain with no rest in just 12 days. Together, Antony and Ventidius avoided Brutus once more and approached the undecided Lepidus. The mingling of the pro-Caesarian legions that Ventidius had raised with Lepidus’ men, and the personality of Antony, persuaded Lepidus, and soon after the other Caesarian generals, Plancus and Pollio, to join him. Ventidius’ actions not only saved Antony, but may have also saved Octavian, who, if Antony had been defeated, may well have been disposed of by the Senate, as Cicero wished.

Ventidius was now one of Antony’s foremost generals, and he was made consul for the last month of 43BC. He was then given a command in Gaul, while Antony and Octavian went off to defeat Caesar’s assassins at Phillipi. After this battle, Octavian returned home and Antony went east. But Octavian mishandled the Italian population, who rebelled, and Antony’s wife Fulvia, and his brother Lucius joined them, claiming to be acting on Antony’s orders. After some initial successes, they were besieged in Perusia, hence this became known as the Perusine war. They appealed to Ventidius for aid, but with no direct orders from Antony, he held back. This was probably the decision that Antony – who had not desired this confrontation – would have wanted. Lucius and Fulvia surrendered, Lucius was exiled, and Antony washed his hands of the matter.

A new treaty between Antony and Octavian led to Ventidius getting a command in the east as proconsul of Asia and Syria in 40BC. This is a measure of how well he was trusted at this stage, since Parthia had just invaded the eastern Roman empire with the aid of Labienus’ son, massacring many Roman citizens. It was trust well-placed. Ventidius’ decisive action saw him quickly occupy Asia minor, chasing Labienus Junior out. He brought the Parthian army to bay near the Taurus range. The Parthians were confident – they had recently massacred the Romans under Crassus at Carrhae, and did not think much of Roman troops. But Ventidius had horse archers that could outrange the Parthians, and he let the cataphracts, heavily armoured cavalry, attack uphill, which quickly exhausted them and left them vulnerable to slingshots and pila. At this point the legionaries attacked and the Parthians were routed. Labienus Junior was captured and killed.

After recovering Cilicia, Ventidius sent his subordinate, Silo, with a cavalry force to occupy a narrow mountain pass in Syria, but Silo found this already occupied by the Parthians and he was forced to flee with the Parthians chasing after him. Ventidius ambushed them, routing them with heavy losses and killing Phranipates, one of the Parthian’s best commanders. The Parthians then withdrew from Syria and Ventidius marched in unopposed.

Ventidius occupied the restless eastern provinces over the winter, who may have preferred Parthian to Roman rule, and he had to spread out his legions to keep order, leaving him vulnerable to Parthian attack. To buy time to organise his forces, he used a clever diplomatic ploy, confiding to a supposedly friendly Syrian prince who he knew was actually spying for the Parthians that he feared an attack from Carrhae. The Parthians, after some delay, marched on Carrhae, where Ventidius awaited, camped on a hill. The overly-confident Parthians launched a headlong attack against the fortified Roman position. Ventidius was victorious, and the Parthian general, Pacorus, who was the Parthian king’s son, was killed. Ventidius had Pacorus’ head paraded around Syria to emphasise his victory, efficiently pacifying the province.

At this point, Ventidius could have launched an attack into Parthia, and might have achieved a notable victory that eluded many other Roman generals, but he was aware that his boss, Mark Antony, wished to have command of any attack on Parthia, and sensibly decided not to attempt to outshine the Triumvir. He instead besieged the city of Samosata, and while this was ongoing, Antony arrived and took over supreme command. He sent Ventidius back to Rome to celebrate a Triumph for his victories, which took place at the end of 38BC. Plutarch suggests this was a demotion born of jealousy on Antony’s part, but it could equally have been a reward, and a way of shoring up Antony’s position in Rome by celebrating the success of his subordinate and placing a loyal general in Italy.

Ventidius did not serve as a general again, possibly due to ill health, since he died in 35 BC, and was awarded a state funeral. He was an energetic general with a firm grasp on logistics because of his previous experience – a vital skill that other Roman generals sometimes lacked. He co-ordinated his army well and commanded with an aggression that was admired by Romans. He was the first Roman general to discover a method of defeating the Parthian cataphracts. But his abilities as a provincial governor are less obvious – he did not have a legal background and was not trained as an administrator. Nevertheless, Ventidius remains one of the finest Roman generals you have probably never heard of.

You can read all about Publius Ventidius from Mark Antony’s point of view in books two and three of my Mark Antony series, Caesar’s General and Caesar’s Avenger.

References:

Sampson. G. (2020) Rome and Parthia, Empires at War – Ventidius, Antony and the Second Romano-Parthian War, 40-20 BC. Pen & Sword.

Wylie GJ. (1993) P. Ventidius - from novus homo to 'military hero'. Acta Classica : Proceedings of the Classical Association of South Africa. 36(1):129-41.

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed. I would love any feedback, either here on substack, or on social media. I’m currently most active on my Facebook page, Alex Gough Author, where I share interesting Roman-themed news, pictures and articles, but I’m also occasionally on X: @romanfiction and bluesky @alexgoughauthor.bsky.social My recently updated website is www.romanfiction.com

Until next time.

Vale,

Alex