Name Gaius Messalla Role Politician | Parents Lucius Vipstanus Gallus | |
Children Lucius Vipstanus Messalla | ||
(Gaius) Vipstanus Messalla Gallus (c. 10 BC – aft. 60 AD) was a Roman senator who was consul suffectus in AD 48. J. Devrecker has offered the argument that the elements in his name ought to be set out as Gaius Messalla Vipstanus Gallus.
Based on his name, Ronald Syme suggested that Gallus was the son of Lucius Vipstanus Gallus and a Valeria Messalla, the granddaughter of Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus. It is postulated that he was the brother of Lucius Vipstanus Poplicola, whom he succeeded in the consulship as a suffect consul in AD 48.
Devrecker has identified Gallus as an Extraordinary Magistrate appointed for Teanum in 46, which would be his earliest recorded post. In 52 or 53 he became a legatus Augusti pro praetore in Pannonia. Then in 59 or 60, Gallus was appointed Proconsular governor of Asia.
It is believed that Gallus is the father of the orator Lucius Vipstanus Messalla. Gallus' wife had earlier been married to Marcus Aquilius Regulus, by whom she had a son named Lucius Aquilius Regulus.