Name

Lucius Cornelius Merula

Activity

Roman politician

Notes

From a lesser family of the Cornelii, he took part in the Roman expansion both southwards (foundation of Tempsa in Calabria) as well as northwards, where as consul he led a campaign against the Boii in the Modena area in 193 BC.

Name

Marcus Aemilius Lepidus

Activity

Roman politician

Notes

Leading figure in the Roman development of the Po Plain, he took part in the founding of the colony of Modena in 183 BC.

Name

Lucius Quintius Crispinus

Activity

Roman politician

In 183 B.C. he attends a committee that leads to establish colonies of Modena and Parma.

Name

Titus Aebutius Parro

Activity

Roman politician

Notes

In 183 B.C. he attends a committee that leads to establish colonies of Modena and Parma.

Name

Gnaeus Pompeus

Activity

Roman politician

Notes

Faithful supporter of Sulla, thanks to his actions against anti-Sulla's followers such as Marcus Junius Brutus at Modena, and to his brilliant military victories, he became a leading figure in Roman political life.

Name

Marcus Junius Brutus

Activity

Roman politician

Notes

With Lutatius Catulus attempted a political and military reaction against the policies of Sulla on his death in 78 BC, but was defeated by Pompey at Modena.

Name

Spartacus

Activity

Gladiator

Notes

In 73 BC he headed a revolt involving thousands of slaves and after several successes (including a great victory at Modena), was slain by Pompey in 71 BC.

Name

Caius Cassius Longinus

Activity

Roman politician

Notes

From a well known family of senators but with no military experience, he was disastrously defeated by the rebellious Spartacus at Modena in 72 BC.

Name

Decimus Junius Brutus

Activity

Roman politician

Notes

He confronted Mark Antony who, on the death of Caesar, sought to take the place of the triumvirate when he arrived in Gaul. In December 44 BC he took up position in Modena where he blocked Antony’s route for over four months.

Name

Mark Antony

Activity

Roman politician

Notes

Rising up against Caesar’s assassins, he sought to reach Gaul in order to re-group, but was blocked for several months at Modena, where he sustained several defeats.

Name

Octavian Augustus

Activity

Roman politician

Notes

Despite his strong allegiance to Caesar, he sided with the Senate after the Ides of March.  He was to be the true winner of the war at Modena. His biographers agree that the war at Modena was the first important trial for the future emperor.

Name

Aulus Hirtius

Activity

Roman politician

Notes

A consul in 43 BC, he took part at Modena with Pansa and Octavian against the “rebel” Mark Antony and was killed on the battlefield.

Name

Caius Vibius Pansa

Activity

Roman politician

Notes

A consul in 43 BC, he took part in the fight against Mark Antony at Modena in order to help out Decimus Junius Brutus, but was killed in battle at Forum Gallarum..

Name

Marcus Salvius Otho

Activity

Roman politician

Notes

He rose up in 69 AD against Galba and became emperor. However his troops were defeated by Vitellius at Bedriacum while he was at Brescello and he killed himself shortly afterwards.

Name

Aulus Vitellius

Activity

Romana politician

Notes

A Legate from Lower Germany, he rose up against Vitellius in early 69 AD and, thanks to the Rhine legions, won at Bedriacum, becoming emperor. He was then defeated by troops supporting Vespasian in December of the same year.

Name

Saint Geminian

Activity

Bishop and  patron of Modena

Notes

Probably already a member of the local Modena elite and in contact with Saint Ambrose, he was bishop of Modena at the end of the 4^th Century and gave the city its last moments of glory before its decline..