The gens Munatia was a plebeian family at Rome. Members of this gens are first mentioned during the second century BC, but they did not obtain any of the higher offices of the Roman state until imperial times.[3]
Statue of Lucius Munatius Plancus, in the Rathaus of Basel. Plancus founded the colony of Raurica, now Basel, in 43 BC.[1][2] The statue, depicting Plancus in the Renaissance version of Roman armor, is dated 1580.
The chief surnames of the Munatii under the Republic were Flaccus, Gratus, Plancus, and Rufus.[3]Plancus, often written Plancius, denotes a person with flat feet.[4][5] It was the cognomen of the most important family of the Munatii.[6] Some of the Munatii do not appear to have borne cognomina.[3]
This list includes abbreviated praenomina. For an explanation of this practice, see filiation.
Publius Munatius, imprisoned by the triumviri capitales in an uncertain year. Munatius was said to have taken the crown from the statue of Marsyas that stood in the Roman Forum, and placed it on his own head. He appealed his sentence to the tribunes of the plebs, but was ignored.[9]
Munatius, a man of no consequence, who having squandered his fortune, joined the conspiracy of Catiline.[10]
Munatius Rufus, a close friend of Cato the Younger, with whom he quarreled. Cato's wife, Marcia, succeeded in bringing about a reconciliation between the men.[11][12]
Gaius Munatius C. f., a provincial official to whom Cicero recommended Lucius Livinius Trypho, a freedman.[13]
Titus Munatius, a relative of Lucius Munatius Plancus, proconsul of Gallia Narbonensis in 44 BC. Munatius received valuable intelligence from his kinsman, which he relayed to Cicero and the Roman Senate. He later joined the party of Marcus Antonius.[21]
Munatii Planci
Denarius of Lucius Plautius Plancus, 47 BC. The obverse depicts a facing head of Medusa. The reverse is a reproduction of Nicomachus of Thebes' Victory in a Quadriga, which was placed in the Temple of Jupiter by Lucius Munatius Plancus, consul in 43 BC and Plautius' natural brother.[22][23]
Gnaeus Munatius Plancus, was accused by Marcus Junius Brutus about 106 BC, and defended by Lucius Licinius Crassus, the famed orator.[24][25]
Titus Munatius L. f. L. n. Plancus Bursa, a partisan of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, stoked the unease which led to Pompeius being appointed consul sine collega. He was condemned for joining in the burning of the Curia Hostilia, and went into exile, but later returned. After Caesar's murder, he joined the party of Antonius.[40][41][42][43][44]
Gnaeus Munatius L. f. L. n. Plancus, praetor in 43 BC.[45]
Gaius Munatius L. f. L. n. Plancus,[lower-roman 1] afterward Lucius Plautius Plancus, was adopted by Lucius Plautius, whose name he assumed. He was proscribed by the Second Triumvirate, and hid near Salernum, but voluntarily gave himself up to save his slaves from being tortured to death to reveal him.[46][47][48][49]
Munatia L. f. L. n., sister of Lucius, Titus, Gnaeus, and Gaius, married Marcus Titius. He was proscribed by the triumvirs in 43 BC, but escaped to Sicily.[50][51]
Aureus of Gaius Julius Caesar and Lucius Munatius Plancus, 45 BC. A bust of Victory is depicted on the obverse, while there is a jug on the reverse. The legends tell that Caesar is dictator for the third time, and Plancus has been appointed urban prefect.[58][59]
The Realencyclopädie der Classischen Altertumswissenschaft, followed by Broughton, makes Gaius Munatius Plancus the same as Gnaeus Munatius Plancus, praetor in 43 BC, who would otherwise be his brother. However, this identification is very uncertain, as the only sources that name the praetor call him Gnaeus, while the only sources that name the proscribed Plancus call him Gaius or Lucius.
Wilhelm Drumann, Geschichte Roms in seinem Übergang von der republikanischen zur monarchischen Verfassung, oder: Pompeius, Caesar, Cicero und ihre Zeitgenossen, Königsberg (1834–1844).
