Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa

Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa was a Roman statesman, general and architect. He was a close friend, soninlaw, and lieutenant to Octavian and was responsible for the construction of some of the most notable buildings in the history of Rome and for important military victories, most notably at the Battle of Actium inBC against the forces of Mark Antony and Cleopatra. As a result of these victories Octavian became the first Roman Emperor, adopting the name of Augustus. Agrippa assisted Augustus in making Rome a city of marble and renovating aqueducts to give all Romans, from every social class, access to the highest quality public services. He was responsible for the creation of many baths, porticoes and gardens and was once thought to have commissioned the construction of the Pantheon. Agrippa was also fatherinlaw to the second Emperor Tiberius, maternal grandfather to Caligula, and maternal greatgrandfather to the Emperor Nero.

Agrippa was born between 6462 BC, in an uncertain location. His father was perhaps called Lucius Vipsanius Agrippa. He had an elder brother whose name was also Lucius Vipsanius Agrippa, and a sister named Vipsania Polla. The family had not been prominent in Roman public life. However, Agrippa was about the same age as Octavian , and the two were educated together and became close friends. Despite Agrippas association with the family of Julius Caesar, his elder brother chose another side in the civil wars of the 40s BC, fighting under Cato against Caesar in Africa. When Catos forces were defeated, Agrippas brother was taken prisoner but freed after Octavian interceded on his behalf.

Source: Wikipedia