Sallustius Lucullus

Sallustius Lucullus was a Roman governor of Britain during the late 1st century AD, succeeding Gnaeus Julius Agricola but with unclear succession details. The only certain fact about him comes from Suetonius, who reported that Emperor Domitian executed him for allowing a new lance to be named after him. Little else is known, leading to various theories about his identity and background.

Some scholars suggest he was the same person as Publius Sallustius Blaesus, a suffect consul in 89 AD, though this theory faces challenges regarding his provincial experience. Another theory links him to the native British prince Adminius or connections to Celtic royalty, but evidence remains weak. Brian Jones proposed that Lucullus opposed Domitian's plans for advancing the Roman frontier in Britain and was killed by Gaius Julius Karus, a soldier awarded military honors for crushing Saturninus' revolt.

Archaeological evidence suggests Lucullus (or his predecessor) reinforced forts like Ardoch and Dalswinton but abandoned Inchtuthil due to troop shortages. Northern Scotland saw reduced Roman presence after 90 AD, likely due to manpower constraints elsewhere in the empire. Overall, Lucullus’ tenure reflected ongoing military adjustments following Agricola’s departure in 84 AD.