Munatius Plancus

Lucius Munatius Plancus (c. 87 BC in Tibur – c. 15 BC in Gaeta) was a Roman senator, consul in 42 BC, and censor in 22 BC with Lucius Aemilius Lepidus Paullus. Along with Talleyrand eighteen centuries later, he is one of the classic historical examples of men who have managed to survive very dangerous circumstances by constantly shifting their allegiances.

Plancus's early career is rather unclear, and we know little about him, only that he was the namesake of his father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was Julius Caesar's officer during the conquest of Gaul and the civil war against Pompey. His funerary inscription attests that he founded the cities of Augusta Raurica (44 BC) and Lugdunum (Lyon) (43 BC) and in June 43 BC, some letters attest to its passage through the village of Cularo (present Grenoble) in the Dauphiné Alps.

When Caesar was assassinated on 15 March 44 BC, Plancus was the Proconsul of Gallia Comata. When Antony besieged Decimus Brutus in Mutina, he engaged in extensive correspondence with Cicero about the potential for the defection of Senatorial forces to Antony, while assuring the senate of his support. He claimed that he would be unable to assist as Marcus Aemilius Lepidus would block the movement of his troops to support Brutus. After Lepidus, Antony and Octavian formed the Second Triumvirate, he turned to Antony's support, and he held the consulship with Lepidus in 42 BC. He became proconsul of Asia in about 40 BC.

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