Gaius Vettulenus Civica Cerealis


Gaius Vettulenus Civica Cerealis was a Roman senator who held at least one office in the service of the emperor. He was appointed suffect consul in some year between 73 and 76.
Civica Cerialis was of Sabine origin. Ronald Syme speculates that the Sex. Vettulenus Cerialis memorialized with his wife Lusia Galla in an inscription recovered at Venafro was Cerialis' father and mother; if that is the case, his father served as a soldier, and his career was capped as primus pilus of Legio XI.
Following his tenure as suffect consul, Cerealis was appointed governor of the imperial province of Moesia from the year 81 to 84. The sortition allotted him the prestigious public province of Asia for 87/88. During his office, he was confronted with an uprising led by a false Nero at the time of Domitian's Dacian War, but Cerealis failed to suppress the pretender. It is not known if Civica was involved in a conspiracy against the emperor Domitian or if his failure was due to his reluctance to act. In either case, Cerealis was arrested and executed on Domitian's orders.