Junii Silani[edit] Marcus Junius Silanus, praetor in 210 BC, during the Second Punic War. Decimus Junius Silanus, commissioned by the senate circa 146 BC to translate the agricultural writings of Mago into Latin.[27]

Decimus Junius Silanus (translator of Mago) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Decimus Junius Silanus was an ancient Roman of the 2nd century BC. He was of noble family and was an expert in Punic language and literature.

After Rome's destruction of Carthage in 146 BC, the Carthaginian libraries were given to the kings of Numidia, but one work was considered too important to lose. This was the agricultural manual in Punic by the Carthaginian author Mago. This long work (it was divided into 28 books) was brought to Rome, and Silanus was commissioned by the Roman Senate to translate it. At about the same period an adaptation into Greek was made by Cassius Dionysius.[1]

As translated by Silanus, the work opened with general advice which is thus summarized by Columella:

“ One who has bought land should sell his town house so that he will have no desire to worship the household gods of the city rather than those of the country; the man who takes greater delight in his city residence will have no need of a country estate. Columella, De Agricultura 1.1.18.[2] ”
Silanus's translation is lost, as is Mago's original, but through the translation Mago's work influenced the tradition of Roman agriculture. It is sometimes quoted by surviving Roman writers on farming. The following is a partial list of fragments:

If buying a farm, sell your town house (see quotation above).[3] The most productive vineyards face north.[4] How to plant vines.[5] How to prune vines.[6] How to plant olives.[7] How to plant fruit trees.[8] How to harvest marsh plants.[9] Preparing various grains and pulses for grinding.[10] How to select bullocks.[11] Notes on the health of cattle.[12] Mules sometimes foal in Africa. Mules and mares foal in the twelfth month after conception.[13] Notes on farmyard animals.[14] Getting bees from the carcass of a bullock or ox.[15] The beekeeper should not kill drones.[16] How to preserve pomegranates.[17] How to make the best passum (raisin wine).[18]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junia_(gens)#Junii_Silani

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Decimus Junius Silanus was the son of M. Junius Silanus, who commanded the army that was defeated by the Germanic Cimbri in Transalpine Gaul.

Decimus was the stepfather of Marcus Brutus, the murderer of Caesar, having married his mother Servilia. He was elected consul in 63 for the following year ; and in consequence of his being consul designatus, he was first asked for his opinion by Cicero in the debate in the senate on the punishment of the Catilinarian conspirators. He was consul 62, with L. Licinius Morena, along with whom he proposed the Lex Licinia Julia.

http://www.forumancientcoins.com/historia/coins/r1/r03110.htm

Decimus Junius Silanus Torquatus

Decimus Junius Silanus Torquatus (16-64 AD) was a Roman noble who lived in the Roman Empire during the 1st century. He served as a consul in 53. Decimus was the second born son and was among the child born to Aemilia Lepida and Marcus Junius Silanus Torquatus, a member of the Junii Silani, a family of Ancient Rome.

His maternal grandparents were the princess Julia the Younger and consul Lucius Aemilius Paullus. Through his maternal grandparents he was a descendant of Roman Emperor Augustus, noble woman Scribonia, statesman Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa and consul Lucius Aemilius Lepidus Paullus (brother of the triumvir Marcus Aemilius Lepidus). Decimus allegedly boasted of his descent from Augustus, and as a result Roman Emperor Nero forced him to commit suicide.

Decimus married Julia Africana in 54 AD. Julia was the daughter of consul Marcus Julius Africanus. Decimus had one daughter by Julia, named Junia Silana Torquata (b. 55).

Source :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimus_Junius_Silanus_Torquatus

Decimus Junius Silanus

Decimus Junius M. f. D. n. Silanus (fl. 70-62 BC) was a consul of the Roman Republic. He may have been the son of Marcus Junius Silanus, consul in 109 BC. He was the stepfather of Marcus Junius Brutus the Younger, having married Brutus' mother, Servilia Caepionis.

Political career

He was aedile in 70 BC, but he lost the election to be a consul of 63. He was successful the following year, and so in consequence of his being consul designatus was first asked for his opinion by Cicero in the debate in the senate on the punishment of the Catilinarian conspirators. At first he spoke in favor of "the supreme penalty" for the conspirators, but when Julius Caesar suggested life imprisonment, Silanus insisted that that was what he had really meant. As such, it was left to Cato the Younger to force through the decision to actually execute them.

He was consul in 62 with Lucius Licinius Murena. They proposed the lex Junia Licinia, which enacted that a rogatio, a discussionary meeting, must be promulgated three nundinae, or market-intervals, before the people voted on it. It also confirmed the lex Caecilia Didia.

Source :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimus_Junius_Silanus_(consul)