Marcus Lurius

Marcus Lurius (fl. 40–31 BC) was a Roman military commander who supported Octavian, the later emperor Augustus, in the civil wars of the late Republic. He saw conflict against both Sextus Pompeius and Marc Antony.

In 40 BC, Lurius was serving as governor of Sardinia when the island was invaded by Menas, one of Sextus Pompeius's commanders. Lurius at first routed his opponent, but was then himself the victim of an unexpected defeat by Menas in the ensuing pursuit. Lurius was forced to abandon the island and its two legions there. On 2 September 31 BC, at the naval Battle of Actium, Octavian entrusted Lurius with command of the right wing of the fleet.

References

Ancient sources

• Appian, Civil Wars, 5.56
• Cassius Dio, Roman History, 48.30
• Velleius Paterculus, Compendium of Roman History, 2.85

Modern sources

• Broughton, T. Robert S. (1952). The Magistrates of the Roman Republic Volume II: 99 B.C.–31 B.C. New York: American Philological Association. pp. 382, 421.
• Drumann, Wilhelm (1908). Paul Groebe (ed.). Geschichte Roms in seinem Uebergange von der republikanischen zur monarchischen Verfassung, oder: Pompeius, Caesar, Cicero und ihre Zeitgenossen (in German). Vol. 4 (2nd ed.). Leipzig: Gebrüder Borntraeger.