Publius Petronius Turpilianus – Governor of Britannia from 61/2AD to 63
In the consulship of Caesonius Paetus and Petronius Turpilianus, a serious disaster was sustained in Britain, …
Tacitus Annals XIV.xxix
Publius Petronius Turpilianus was first consul in 61AD with Lucius Caesennius Paetus his junior colleague, but had to cut short his appointment following the revolt of the Iceni in Britain, and was sent by Nero to replace the victorious – but only by the skin of his teeth – Suetonius Paulinus as governor of the province. He then entered into a period of ‘shameful inactivity’ as gossipped in Rome, but was in fact, very busy in the political arena and smoothed the diplomatic waters in the strife-torn island province of Britannia.
Accordingly Petronius Turpilianus was sent to the province as less inflexible; a stranger to the crimes of the enemy, he would be in proportion soft-hearted if they repented. He arranged the outstanding difficulties, but, without venturing on any further action, handed over the province to Trebellius Maximus. …
Tacitus Agricola 16.3
Nero’s excuse for replacing Paulinus with Turpilianus
… Everything, however, was softened down for the emperor’s ears, and Suetonius was retained in the government; but as he subsequently lost a few vessels on the shore with the crews, he was ordered, as though the war continued, to hand over his army to Petronius Turpilianus, who had just resigned his consulship. Petronius neither challenged the enemy nor was himself molested, and veiled this tame inaction under the honourable name of peace.
Tacitus Annals XIV.xxxix
Turpilianus Granted Triumphal Regalia by Nero
… he [Nero] convoked the senate and bestowed triumphal distinctions on the consular Petronius Turpilianus, the praetor designate Cocceius Nerva,¹ and the praetorian prefect Tigellinus. …
Tacitus Annals XV.lxxii
- The future emperor Nerva.
Read about the Military Campaigns of Publius Petronius Turpilianus (AD61/2 -63)