The Triumph and the Temple
In December 43 BC, Plancus returned to Rome to celebrate a Triumph for his Gallic and Raetian victories. This was a moment of peak prestige, though it was shadowed by the dark politics of the Proscriptions, where Plancus allegedly allowed his own brother’s name to be added to the execution lists to prove his loyalty to the Triumvirs.
Plancus used the vast “manubiae” (spoils of war) from his campaigns for a lasting legacy:
• The Temple of Saturn: He funded the total reconstruction of this iconic temple in the Roman Forum.
• Mausoleum at Gaeta: Unlike many of his peers whose graves are lost, Plancus built a massive circular tomb for himself in Gaeta, Italy, which stands to this day.
The Motion for “Augustus“
Perhaps Plancus’s most famous historical contribution occurred not on a battlefield, but on the Senate floor. In 27 BC, it was Plancus who formally proposed that the Senate grant Octavian the title of Augustus. This act effectively signaled the end of the Republic and the birth of the Roman Empire, cementing Plancus’s role as the man who helped bridge the gap between two worlds.
Lucius Munatius Plancus was often criticized by his contemporaries—and later historians—as a “shifty time-server.” However, his ability to earn the title of Imperator, found major cities, and die in his own bed during an era of constant purges speaks to a unique blend of military competence and political genius.