What happened to Julius Caesars claimed son from "long haired gaul"

[coremelt]

split off from the thread on Julius Caesar bloodline so it might get some attention:

In the 5th book in Colleen McColloughs “Masters of Rome” series, in Colleen’s notes at end of book she states “some years after Caesar’s death a man from Gallia Comata turned up in Rome, claiming to be caesars son. According to the ancient sources he resembled Caesar physically.”
Apparently this is recorded by 4th Century historian Ammianius.

Anyone with access to the latin sources know if more is recorded about happened to the man from Gallia Comata. I’d imagine he either got very rich or was killed by Augustus since it would be a threat to his position as Julius Caesars adopted son and Augustus seems to have been pretty ruthless at purging when he came to power.

Does history record any more of what happened to the claimant?

[Captain_Amazing]

I’d be surprised if Ammianius talks about that. Ammianius starts his history at Nerva and ends it at Valens, and the first 12 books are lost, so what we have surviving of him starts with Gallus.

The only thing he says about Julius Caesar is from his description of Gaul:

Caesar finally subdued all the Gauls, except where their country was absolutely inaccessible from its morasses, as we learn from Sallust, after a war of ten years, in which both nations suffered many disasters; and at last he united them to us in eternal alliance by formal treaties. I have digressed further than I had intended, but now I will return to my original subject.

Most of the surviving work is the life of Julian.

[Captain_Amazing]

Ok, I did find this, from Tacitus, talking about a Gallic revolt against Vespasian after Vitellus’s death:

Julius Tutor and Julius Sabinus joined him in his schemes. One was a Trever, the other a Lingon. Tutor had been made by Vitellius guardian of the banks of the Rhine. Sabinus, over and above his natural vanity, was inflamed with the pride of an imaginary descent, for he asserted that his great-grandmother had, by her personal charms, attracted the admiration of the divine Julius, when he was campaigning in Gaul.

[griffin1977]

@Captain_Amazing

Ok, I did find this, from Tacitus, talking about a Gallic revolt against Vespasian after Vitellus’s death:

Julius Tutor and Julius Sabinus joined him in his schemes. One was a Trever, the other a Lingon. Tutor had been made by Vitellius guardian of the banks of the Rhine. Sabinus, over and above his natural vanity, was inflamed with the pride of an imaginary descent, for he asserted that his great-grandmother had, by her personal charms, attracted the admiration of the divine Julius, when he was campaigning in Gaul.

If this is the guy the OP refers to he has quite aneventful end. After rebelling against Vespasian he is defeated by a neighbouring tribe who are loyal to Rome. He then fakes his own death in a fire, hides out for nine years (and has two children in the mean time), before being convinced by his wife to travel to Rome and beg Vespasian for mercy, where upon he has them both executed and the children banished to different ends of the empire.

[coremelt]

@griffin1977

If this is the guy the OP refers to

Well that might be the grandson of the guy that I was referring to if he claims to be Julius great-great grand son. Cool story, but wonder what Colleen McCollough is referring to then… Apparently she does have one of the most impressive source libraries of original ancient roman material in the hands of a private individual… guess the only way to ask what she meant would be to send an email saying where the heck in Ammanius are you talking about?

[Captain_Amazing]

I just found and looked at her author’s note. She’s not saying that Ammianus is her source for Caesar’s Gallic son. She’s saying Ammianus is her source for the lives and customs of the Gauls (and Ammianus does, when he’s talking about Julian in Gaul, talk a lot about the customs of the Gauls). She just claims “ancient sources” for the son. I can’t figure out what ancient sources she’s talking about. I’m convinced she makes up half of her stuff anyway. I still haven’t forgiven her for killing Metellus Numidicus ten years before he actually died.

[coremelt]

ok thanks for that Captain Amazing, I’m curious where your in-depth knowledge of Tacitus etc is coming from? Are you an academic in this area? Do you speak latin/greek?