Titus Statilius Taurus Titus Statilius Taurus was the name of a line of Roman senators . The first known and most important of these was a Roman general and two - time consul prominent during the Triumviral and Augustan periods . The other men who bore this name were his descendants . Titus Statilius Taurus ( I ) . Titus Statilius Taurus ( I ) was a general and twice consul during the Triumviral and Augustan periods . This Taurus was a " novus homo " ( " new man " or " self - made man " ) from the region of Lucania . Initially a partisan of Marcus Antonius , by whom he was chosen as suffect consul in 37 BC , he subsequently was sent by Antonius with a fleet to aid Octavian in his war against Sextus Pompeius . After Pompey was driven from Sicily , Taurus crossed the sea to the province of Africa , which he secured without any difficulty and for which he was awarded a triumph in 34 BC . In 34 BC , he accompanied Octavian on campaign to Dalmatia , and after Octavian ' s return to Rome , Taurus remained in command of the troops stationed there . When war with Marcus Antonius and Cleopatra broke out , Taurus chose Octavian ' s side and in the Battle of Actium , he was in command of Octavian ' s land force . Antony ' s land forces surrendered to him rather than fight him . This greatly accelerated the victory of Caesar Octavian . After the death of Antonius , Taurus was sent in 29 BC to Spain where he defeated the Cantabrians , Vaccaei and Astures . He was then made " consul ordinarius " in 26 BC alongside Augustus , as Octavian was now known . In 16 BC , when Augustus left Italy for Gaul , he left Taurus in Rome as praefectus urbi . Until the second consulship of Tiberius in 7 BC , Statilius Taurus was the last man to hold multiple consulships . It appears Augustus was experimenting with a " share the honors " program before he consolidated enough power to rule as the unofficial emperor . Statilius Taurus was responsible for the construction of the Amphitheater of Statilius Taurus in 29 BC . Titus Statilius Taurus ( I ) seems to had three sons and possibly two daughters , though it is uncertain whether all these children were by the same woman . The eldest son , also named Titus Statilius Taurus ( II ) , was a " monetalis " , but did not reach consular years . A second son , also named Titus Statilius Taurus ( III ) , was consul in 11 AD . A third son was named Sisenna Statilius Taurus , and was consul in 16 AD . In terms of daughters , at least one seems certain , Statilia L . Pisonis , she who married Lucius Calpurnius Piso ' Augur ' ( consul 1 BC ) . A second may be the Statilia who died at the age of 99 in the reign of Claudius , although she may have been a sister to this Taurus . Titus Statilius Taurus ( II ) . Titus Statilius Taurus ( II ) was the eldest son of Titus Statilius Taurus ( I ) possibly by Cornelia Sisenna or an unknown woman . He was either the full - brother or half - brother of Titus Statilius Taurus ( III ) , Sisenna Statilius Taurus , Statilia L . Pisonis and possibly Statilia . All that is known of this Taurus is that he was a " monetalis " and died before reaching consular age . Titus Statilius Taurus ( III ) . Titus Statilius Taurus ( III ) was the second son of Titus Statilius Taurus ( I ) perhaps by Cornelia Sisenna . He may have been the full - brother or half - brother of Titus Statilius Taurus ( III ) and possibly Statilia , and was probably the full - brother Sisenna Statilius Taurus and Statilia L . Pisonis . This Taurus married Valeria , daughter of Roman Senator Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus , and fathered three children by her , two consular sons , Titus Statilius Taurus ( IV ) and Titus Statilius Taurus Corvinus , and a daughter , Statilia Messallina , who was the mother to the Empress Statilia Messalina . Titus Statilius Taurus ( IV ) . Titus Statilius Taurus ( IV ) was the eldest son of Titus Statilius Taurus ( III ) by Valeria , daughter of Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus . He was brother to Titus Statilius Taurus Corvinus ( consul 45 AD ) . This Taurus served as consul in 44 AD and later , proconsul of Africa from 51 to 53 AD . A wealthy man , he was accused by Tarquitius Priscus , a former subordinate during his tenure as Proconsul of Africa , of " a few acts of extortion , but particularly . . . [ of ] magical and superstitious practices " at the direction of Julia Agrippina , and despite his apparent innocence , he committed suicide as a result of these accusations .