A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

a native of Asculum in Picenum, was one of the chief generals of the allies in the Social War, B. C. 90. He first commander in Apulia where he was very successful: Canusium and Venusia, with many other towns, opened their gates to him, and some which refused to obey him he took by storm; the Roman nobles who were made prisoners he put to death, and the common people and slaves he enrolled among his troops. In conjunction with T. Afranius (also called Lafrenius) and P. Ventidius, Judacilius defeated Cn. Pompeius Strabo; but when the latter had in his turn gained a victory over Afranius and laid siege to Picenum, Judacilius, anxious to save his native town, cut his way through the enemy's lines, and threw himself into the city with eight cohorts. Finding, however, that it could not possibly hold out much longer, and resolved not to survive its fall, he first put to death all his enemies, and then erected a funeral pyre within the precincts of the chief temple in the city, where he banquetted with his friends, and, after taking poison, he laid himself down on the pile, and commanded his friends to set it on fire. (Appian, App. BC 1.40, 42, 47, 48; Oros. 5.18.)