Lucius Neratius Marcellus

Lucius Neratius Marcellus (fl. 1st century – 2nd century AD) was an imperial Roman military officer and senator who was elected Roman consul twice, first under Domitian and later under Hadrian.

Neratius Marcellus was the son of Neratius Pansa, who had been suffect consul around AD 75. His mother was a Vettia, probably the daughter of Marcus Vettius Marcellus, an imperial procurator. He had served as a military tribune in his youth, but had no other imperial appointments prior to his being appointed suffect consul in AD 95, replacing the emperor Domitian. This was followed by his appointment as the Legatus Augusti pro praetore (or imperial governor) of Roman Britain, possibly around AD 101. He certainly held the office by AD 103 and probably succeeded Titus Avidius Quietus a year or two earlier.

Neratius Marcellus was a friend of Pliny the Younger and their letters discussing the Roman Principate are recorded. Pliny requested that Marcellus make Suetonius a tribune in Britain and although Suetonius eventually declined the post, the story does indicate that Marcellus was able to make military appointments easily through the network of patronage and apparently without consulting the army. There is evidence that there was unrest in Northern Britain during Marcellus' governorship which resulted in the frontier becoming the line of the Stanegate.

Neratius Marcellus was elected consul ordinarius in AD 129, serving alongside Publius Juventius Celsus Titus Aufidius Hoenius Severianus.

Neratius Marcellus was married twice; firstly to Corellia Hispulla, the daughter of Pliny’s elderly friend who had been suffect consul in AD 78 and who had died around AD 103, Quintus Corellius Rufus, and later to Domitia Vettilla. From his first marriage he had at least one son, Lucius Corellius Neratius Pansa, consul of AD 122.