Lucius Volusius Maecianus (c. 110 – 175) was aRomanjurist, who advised theEmperorAntoninus Pius on legal matters, as well educating his son the futureMarcus Aurelius in the subject. Originally of theequestrian class, Maecianus held a series of imperial offices culminating withprefect ofEgypt in 161, when Marcus Aureliusadlected himinter praetorios, or with the rank ofpraetor, into theRoman Senate.[1] Maecianus wassuffect consul in an undeterminednundinium around AD 166.[2]
We can follow his career as aneques from an inscription set up inOstia to honor Maecianus as the patron of thatcolonia.[3] This inscription attests that he wasprefect of the CohortI Aelia classica, andprefectus fabrum, two steps in thetres militiae of the equestrian class. The next notable office was a sinecure from the emperor Antoninus Pius himself:prefectus vehiculorum, or director of the public post. According toAnthony Birley this was done so Maecianus "could remain in Rome, where he would be available to give advice on legal problems in the council -- one of those experts to whom, Marcus [Aurelius] relates, Pius was so ready to listen."[4] Other positions he held in Rome includea studiis,a libellis (also known asab epistulis), anda censibus.
At this point Maecianus was promoted to senior equestrian offices. The first wasPraefectus annonae, or overseer of the grain supply for the capital city. Next was prefect of Egypt in 161,[5] the largest province governed by aneques. It was afterMarcus Annaeus Syriacus succeeded him in Egypt that Maecianus was admitted into the Senate.
Following his promotion to the Senate, Marcus Aurelius appointed Maecianus prefect of theaerarium Saturni so, as Birley explains, the emperor "was able to keep this eminent lawyer, his former tutor, by his side."[6] His suffect consulate followed a few years later.
Maecianus was the author of a monograph on trusts (fideicommissa) in 16 books, another on theJudicia publica, and a third on theRhodian laws relating to maritime affairs.[7] His treatise on numerical divisions, weights and measures (Assis distributio), is extant, with the exception of the concluding portion. An edition byEmil Seckel and B. Klübler, was published as part of Huschke,Jurisprudentiae anteiustinianae reliquias, vol. 1 (1908).
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Maecianus, Lucius Volusius".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 17 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 297.
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| Preceded by | Prefectus of Aegyptus 161 | Succeeded by |
