A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

TAURUS. TAXILES. 985
against Aristotle. (Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. iii. 5. TAURUS STATILIUS CORVINUS, consul A. D.
p. 144.) 45. [CORVINUS.]
TAURUS, PACU'VIUS [PACUVIUS, No. 3.] TA'XILES (TaeiAq7s). 1. An Indian prince or
TAURUS, STATI'LIUS. 1. STATILIUS TAU- king, who reigned over the tract between the Indus
Rus, one of the most distinguished of Octavian's and the Hydaspes, at the period of the expedition of
generals. His name appears in the Fasti as consul Alexander, B. c. 327. His real name was Mophis,
suffectus in B. C. 37, but he is first mentioned by or Omphis, and the Greeks appear to have called
ancient writers in the following year in the war him Taxiles or Taxilas, from the name of his caagainst Sex. Pompeius, in Sicily. He commanded pital city of Taxila, near the modern Attock.
Antony's fleet, which sailed from Tarentum, and (Diod. xvii. 86; Curt. viii. 12. ~~ 4, 14.) He
he rendered important services in the war. After appears to have been on terms of hostility with his
the flight of Pompeius from Sicily, Taurus sailed neighbour Porus, who held the territories east of
over to Africa, which he secured for Octavian with- the Hydaspes, and it was probably with a view of
out difficulty. In B. c. 34 he received the honour strengthening himself against this foe, that he sent
of a triumph on account of his success in Africa an embassy to Alexander, while the latter was yet
(Fasti Capit.), and in the course of the same year in Sogdiana, with offers of assistance and support.
he accompanied Octavian to Dalmatia, and Fas On the approach of the conqueror he hastened to
left in the country in command of the army when Imeet him with valuable presents, and placed himOctavian returned to Rome. At the battle of Ac. self and all his forces at his disposal. Nor were
tiun, in B. c. 31, Taurus commanded the land-force these vain professions: he assisted Hephaestion
of Octavian, which was drawn up on the shore. and Perdiccas in constructing a bridge over the
In B. C. 29 he defeated the Cantabri, Vaccaei, and Indus, supplied their troops with provisions, and
Astures. He was raised to the consulship in B. c. received Alexander himself, and his whole army,
26; and in B. C. 16, when the emperor went to in his capital city of Taxila, with every demonGaul, the government of the city and of Italy was stration of friendship and the most liberal hospileft to Taurus, with the' title of praefectus urbi. tality. (Arr. Anab. iv. 22, v. 3, 8; Curt. viii. 12;
(Appian,B. C. v. 97-99,103, ]105,109,118; Dion Diod. xvii. 86; Plut. Alex. 59, 65; Strab. xv.
Cass. xlix. 14, 38; Appian, Ill. 27; Dion Cass. 1. p. 698.) On the subsequent advance of the Ma13; Plut. Ant. 65; Dion Cass. li. 20, liii. 23, liv. cedonian king, Taxiles accompanied him with a
19; Tac. Ann. vi. 11; Vell. Pat. ii. 127.) In force of 5000 men, and bore a part in the contest
the fourth consulship of Augustus, B. C. 30, Taurus at the passage of the Hydaspes. After that victory
built an amphitheatre of stone at his own expence, he was sent by Alexander in pursuit of Porus, to
and at its opening exhibited a show of gladiators; whom he was charged to offer favourable terms,
and the people in return allowed him to appoint but narrowly escaped losing his life at the hands
one of the praetors every year. This amphitheatre of his old enemy. Subsequently, however, the
was burnt down in the great fire at Rome, in the two rivals were reconciled by the personal mediareign of Nero. (Dion Cass. li. 23, lrii. 18; Suet. tion of Alexander; and Taxiles, after having
Octav. 29; Tac. Ann. iii. 72.) contributed zealously to the equipment of the fleet
There was a Statilius Taurus, who was triumvir on the Hydaspes, was intrusted by the king with
of the mint under Augustus, as we learn from coins, the government of the whole territory between
but whether he was the same person as the pre- that river and the Indus. (Arr. Anab. v. 8, 18,
ceding cannot be determined. The annexed coin 20; Curt. viii. 14. ~ 35, ix. 3. ~ 22). A consihas on the obverse the legend, TAVRVS REGVLVS derable accession of power was granted him after
PVLCHER, and on the reverse, IIVIR A A A F F the death of Philip, son of Machatas; and he was
(Eckhel, vol. v. p. 316.) allowed to retain his authority at the death of
Alexander himself, as well as in the subsequent
/o~....OXe. partition of the provinces at Triparadeisus, B. C.
o~2% A;, 321. (Arr. ap. Phot. p. 72, a.; Dexippus, ibid.
b Vi'ial gb, e J cp. 64, b.; Diod. xviii. 3, 39; Justin. xiii. 4.)
But at a subsequent period we find Eudemus, the
commander of the Macedonian troops in his province, possessing the sole authority: whether
Taxiles had been displaced by force or removed
COIN OF STATILIUS TAURUS. by a natural death, we are not informed.
2. A general in the service of Mithridates the
2. T. STATILIUS TAURUS, probably son of Great, and one of those in whom he reposed the
No. 1, was consul, A. D. 11, with M. Aemilius highest confidence. He is first mentioned in B. c.
Lepidus. (Dion Cass. lvi. 25.) 86, when he was sent by Mithridates, with an
3. T. STATILIUS SISENNA TAURUS, consul army of not less than 110,000 men, to Europe, to
A. D. 16, with L. Scribonius Libo. (Dion Cass. make his way, through Thrace and Macedonia, to
lvii. 15; Tac. Ann. ii. 1.) the assistance of Archelaus in Greece. This task
4. M. STATILIUS TAURUS was consul A. D. 44 he successfully accomplished, reduced Amphipolis,
with L. Quintius Crispinus Secundus, and after- which had at first defied his arms, and having
wards governed Africa as proconsul. He possessed thus struck terror into the Macedonians, advanced
great wealth, which proved his ruin. Agrippina, without further opposition, through that country
coveting his gardens, got Tarquitius Priscus, who and Thessaly, into Phocis. Here he at first laid
had been the legate of Taurus in Africa, to accuse siege to Elatea, but was foiled in his attacks, and
the latter of repetundae and of magic. Taurus put relinquished the enterprize, in order to form a
an end to his own life before the senate pronounced junction with Archelaus in Boeotia. This object
sentence. (Dion Cass. Ix. 13; Tac. Ann. xii. 59, he effected: but though the two generals now
xiv. 46.) found themselves at the head of a formidable host,