In the meteoric rise of the young Octavian (the future Emperor Augustus), few figures were as instrumental—or as tragic—as Quintus Salvidienus Rufus. Though his name is often overshadowed by the later fame of Marcus Agrippa, Salvidienus was Octavian’s original “right-hand man,” rising from obscure origins to become an Imperator and a designated consul before a shocking fall from grace.
The Rising Star of the Caesareans
Salvidienus was a novus homo (new man) of humble birth, likely a childhood friend of Octavian and Agrippa. He was with the young Caesar in Apollonia when news of Julius Caesar‘s assassination arrived in 44 BC. While the Roman aristocracy looked down on the teenaged Octavian, Salvidienus was among the few who urged him to march on Rome and claim his inheritance.
42 BC: The Year of the Imperator
While the senior Triumvirs, Antony and Octavian, were focused on the campaign against Brutus and Cassius in Greece, Salvidienus was entrusted with critical operations in Italy and the West.
The War Against Sextus Pompey
In 42 BC, Salvidienus was given command of Octavian’s fleet with the mission of dislodging Sextus Pompey from Sicily. Sextus was strangling Rome’s food supply, and Salvidienus was tasked with a daring naval invasion.
• The Conflict at Scyllaeum: Salvidienus attempted to cross the Strait of Messina. However, his crews were inexperienced compared to Sextus’s seasoned sailors.
• The Result: Despite suffering heavy losses due to the treacherous currents and Pompeian attacks, Salvidienus managed to hold his forces together.
It was during this year of high command and his successful suppression of various pro-Republican skirmishes in Italy that he was acclaimed Imperator by his troops—a staggering achievement for a man of his low social standing.
The Perusine War (41–40 BC)
Salvidienus’s military prestige reached its peak during the Perusine War, a localized civil conflict between Octavian and Mark Antony’s brother, Lucius Antonius.
• He successfully intercepted Lucius’s reinforcements and played a decisive role in bottling up the Antonian forces in the city of Perusia (modern Perugia).
• Following the victory, Octavian rewarded his loyalty by appointing him governor of Transalpine Gaul and designating him for the consulship of 39 BC—skipping over dozens of more senior senators.
The Betrayal and Fall (40 BC)
In 40 BC, as tensions between Octavian and Mark Antony reached a breaking point, Salvidienus made a fatal miscalculation. Fearing that Octavian might lose the coming struggle, he secretly reached out to Antony, offering to defect with his massive army of six legions.
The Discovery
The betrayal came to light during the negotiations for the Treaty of Brundisium. To show his “good faith” to Octavian, Antony handed over the private letters Salvidienus had sent him.
The reaction was swift and merciless:
1. Arrest: Octavian summoned Salvidienus to Rome under the guise of an administrative meeting.
2. Condemnation: He was accused of high treason before the Senate.
3. The End: In 40 BC, the man who had been hailed as Imperator and consul-elect either committed suicide or was executed.
“Salvidienus Rufus remains the ultimate warning in the Augustan age: that in the game of Roman power, loyalty was the only currency more valuable than a general’s laurel.”
Legacy
The vacancy left by Salvidienus allowed Marcus Agrippa to emerge as Octavian’s sole military deputy. While Agrippa was famously modest and loyal, Salvidienus’s ambition and ultimate treachery forced Octavian to become far more cautious about whom he trusted with the command of his legions.