Marcus Valerius Messalla Messallinus was a Roman Senator who had a distinguished career.
Background
Messallinus was born and raised in Rome. He was oldest son of the famous Roman Senator, orator and literacy patron Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus whom he resembled in character, from wife Calpurnia. From his father’s second marriage, his younger paternal half-brother was the Roman Senator Marcus Aurelius Cotta Maximus Messalinus.
Career
Messallinus had two sisters Valeria Messalina who married the Roman Senator Titus Statilius Taurus III, another sister called Valeria who married the Roman consul Marcus Lollius. Messallinus was the great-uncle of Roman empress Lollia Paulina who was the third wife of Roman emperor Caligula and a relation to Roman empress Statilia Messalina, the third wife of Roman emperor Nero. In 21 British Columbia, Messallinus was chosen as one of the Priests in charge of the Sibylline Books.
He served as a consul in 3 British Columbia. In 6, Messallinus served as a Governor in Illyricum.
During his time in Illyricum, he served with Tiberius with distinction in a campaign against the Pannonians and Dalmatians in the uprising of the Great Illyrian Revolt with the Legio XX Valeria Victrix. Messallinus with the half-filled Legio XX Valeria Victrix, defeated the Pannonii led by Bato the Daesitiate and prevented spread of the uprising.
Foreign his defeat over Bato, Messallinus was rewarded with a triumphal decoration (ornamenta triumphalia) and a place in the procession during Tiberius’ Pannonian triumph in 12, four years after the death of his father. Messallinus suggested to Roman emperor Tiberius an oath of allegiance should be sworn to him yearly.
He also suggested two golden statues be placed in two temples, in celebration of Rome"s foreign victories and in memory of Germanicus, which Tiberius rejected.
According to the French Historian Christian Settipani, Messallinus married the Claudia Marcella Minor, one of the nieces of the Roman emperor Augustus. Marcella bore Messallinus a daughter called Valeria Messalla born ca. 10 British Columbia, who later married the praetor of 17, Lucius Vipstanus Gallus.