While the giants of the era—Octavian, Antony, and Brutus—fought for the soul of the Republic in Greece, a lonely and heroic struggle was unfolding in North Africa. Quintus Cornificius, the governor of Old Africa (Africa Vetus), stood as the last bastion of the Republican Senate in the West during the tumultuous year of 42 BC.
The Scholar-General
Cornificius was a man of the “Old School.” A refined intellectual, poet, and friend of the orator Cicero, he represented the ideal Roman aristocrat: someone as comfortable with a stylus as he was with a sword.
In 44 BC, Julius Caesar appointed him governor of Africa. However, after Caesar’s assassination, Cornificius refused to acknowledge the authority of the Second Triumvirate. While the rest of the Roman world knelt to the new masters, Cornificius remained loyal to the legal authority of the Senate.
The Defense of the Province
In 43 BC, the Triumvirs passed the Lex Pedia, which branded the assassins of Caesar and their sympathizers as public enemies. Cornificius was placed on the proscription lists—marked for death.
Despite being surrounded by enemies, he turned Africa into a sanctuary for those fleeing the bloodbaths in Rome.
• The Resistance: He raised a significant force, consisting of three veteran legions and a large contingent of cavalry.
• The Conflict: Octavian ordered Titus Sextius, the governor of New Africa (Africa Nova), to oust Cornificius. This sparked a localized but brutal civil war within the African provinces.
42 BC: Acclamation as Imperator
Cornificius was a surprisingly capable commander. In the early stages of the conflict, he successfully repelled Sextius’s invasions. It was during these victories in 42 BC that his troops acclaimed him Imperator.
To legitimize his rule and pay his soldiers, Cornificius minted a rare and beautiful series of gold and silver coins.
• The Imagery: The coins often featured the goddess Juno Sospita (the Savior) and Cornificius himself being crowned by Victory.
• The Legend: They bore the inscription Q. CORNIFICIUS AVGVR IMP., highlighting both his religious status as an Augur and his military authority as Imperator.
The Final Stand at Utica
As the year 42 BC progressed, the tide turned. Sextius received reinforcements from Octavian, while Cornificius remained isolated, receiving no help from Brutus or Cassius in the East.
The two armies met near the great city of Utica.
1. The Desertion: Many of Cornificius’s troops, seeing the overwhelming power of the Triumvirate, began to waver.
2. The Defeat: In the ensuing battle, Cornificius’s lines were broken. He fought with the bravery expected of his rank but was eventually killed on the field of battle.
“With his death, the last candle of Senate-led governance in the Western provinces was extinguished.”
Legacy and Relationship with Cicero
Cornificius is perhaps best known to historians through his correspondence with Cicero. Their letters reveal a man who was deeply anxious about the collapse of the Republic but remained committed to his duty. Cicero praised him for his “constancy” and “fortitude.”
His death at Utica, occurring almost simultaneously with the Republican defeat at Philippi, signaled the total victory of the Second Triumvirate. Africa, once the stronghold of Cato and now Cornificius, was finally absorbed into the burgeoning empire of Octavian.