Marcus Antonius Primus

Marcus Antonius Primus (* 30/35 at Tolosa; † after 81) was a Roman politician and military in the 1st century AD

During the reign of Nero, he was first mentioned as a member of the Senate. However, he lost his Senator ranking due to an intrigue in the year 61, and was banished from Rome. From Emperor Galba, he was readmitted to the Senate in 68 and received the command of the Legio VII Galbiana in Pannonia.

After Galba and Otho's death Primus took the Civil War party of Vespasian and marched his troops arbitrarily against Emperor Vitellius in Italy. In Bedriacum he defeated him in October 69 and burst on the same day Cremona. Then he crossed the Apennines and marched against Rome, but where he met with unexpected resistance from the population. One day after Vitellius ' death on December 20, he entered Rome.

Antonius Primus was now the de facto ruler of Rome and received by the Senate, the rank insignia of a consul. As Gaius Licinius Mucianus arrived in Rome, however, he resigned from his position back and went, as he was accused of this because of his unauthorized trading and alleged atrocities in the east to Vespasian, who honored him for his decisive action, it, however, from the military service dismissed. So Primus moved back to his hometown.

There are testimonies of Antonius Primus from the time of Domitian, where the Emperor anschreibt him in letters.