Aulo Gabinio Secondo e il cognomen Cauchius

This paper re-examines the figure of Aulus Gabinius Secundus, legate of the army in Germania Inferior, to whom Emperor Claudius granted the cognomen ex virtute Cauchius for his victory over the Chauci in AD 41. Through a philological analysis of Cassius Dio (60.8.7), the author challenges the traditional emendation of Μαυρουσίους to Καύχους, arguing instead that the defeated people were the Marsi, not the Chauci. This reinterpretation allows for the distinction between two separate events: Gabinius’ victory over the Marsi and his subsequent campaign against the Chauci. The study further situates the honorific title within the political context of Claudius’ accession, showing that the conferment of the cognomen served primarily as an instrument of imperial legitimization before the senatorial aristocracy, rather than as a reward for exceptional military achievement.