Muciānus
1.
P. Licinius Crassus Dives Muciānus, the son of P.
Mucius Scaevola, and adopted by P. Licinius Crassus Dives. He was consul B.C. 131, and
carried on the war against Aristonicus in Asia, but was defeated by the latter. He succeeded
Scipio Nasica as pontifex maximus. He was distinguished both as an orator and a lawyer.
2.
C. Licinius Muciānus, three times consul in A.D. 52,
70, and 75. On Nero's death, in 68, Mucianus had the command of the province of Syria; and he
rendered efficient aid to Vespasian, when the latter resolved to seize the imperial throne.
As soon as Vespasian was proclaimed emperor, Mucianus set out for Europe to oppose
Vitellius; but the Vitellians were entirely defeated by Antonius Primus before Mucianus
entered Italy. Antonius, however, had to surrender all power into the hands of Mucianus upon
the arrival of the latter at Rome. Mucianus was an orator and an historian. His powers of
oratory are greatly praised by Tacitus. He made a collection of the speeches of the
republican period, which he published in eleven books of
Acta and three of
Epistolae. The subject of his history is not mentioned; but it appears to
have treated chiefly of the East. He is frequently quoted by Pliny the Elder. See Peter,
Hist. Reliq. p. cccli.; and Brunn,
De Gaio Licinio
Muciano (Leipzig, 1870).
