Died 23 AD | ||
Children Servius Cornelius Cethegus, Cosconia Lentuli Maligunensis Gallita Parents Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus Augur, Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus People also search for Cossus Cornelius Lentulus Gaetulicus | ||
Servius Cornelius Lentulus Maluginensis was a Roman patrician who flourished in the reigns of the emperors Augustus and Tiberius. He served as consul suffectus in AD 10, alongside Quintus Junius Blaesus.
After a long vacancy (either 87 to 15 BC or 82 to 10 BC) he became flamen dialis under Augustus' direction. According to Tacitus (Annals 3.58, 71), Servius wanted to be governor of Asia in AD 22, but his religious obligations appeared to bar his leaving Rome. The emperor Tiberius finally decided that the flamen dialis must stay in Italy to perform his duties and obliged Servius to forfeit his prospective governorship.
The exact date when Servius became flamen dialis is disputed. Cassius Dio (54.36) says it was in about 11 BC, and many modern scholars accept this date without question. But Tacitus (Ann. 3.58) indicates that the date was 72 years after the suicide of Cornelius Cinna (87 BC). Some modern translators (including Rex Warner, but not Wood) change Tacitus to match Dio instead of vice versa, even though Tacitus is the more reliable historian. Gaius Stern asserts that Tacitus is probably correct, meaning that Maluginensis became flamen dialis while Lepidus was pontifex maximus (16/15 BC), so that Lepidus had to supervise Maluginensis' inauguration at Augustus' direction, possibly unwillingly.
Maluginensis died soon after, in AD 23. His son of the same name was selected to take over his priesthood.