Tiberius Catius Caesius Fronto
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Tiberius Catius Caesius Fronto was a Roman senator who was suffect consul in the nundinium of September to December 96 AD with Marcus Calpurnius [...]icus as his colleague.[1] These two consuls were presiding over the Roman Senate when the Emperor Domitian was assassinated (18 September 96), and Nerva elevated as emperor. Fronto was an acquaintance of Pliny the Younger, and he is mentioned as many as four times in the collected letters.
From the elements in his name, Olli Salomies believes it likely that Fronto had been adopted by the senator and poet Silius Italicus, and his name at birth was Tiberius Caesius Fronto, or may have been his nephew. If Fronto was not adopted by Italicus, then the common elements in their names were due to his being Italicus' nephew.[2]
Pliny describes Fronto as "a man with the greatest expertise at extracting tears",[3] and mentions him taking part in three different trials: in the penalty phase of the case of Marius Priscus, who had been proconsul of Africa and was indicted by the people he had governed;[4] in the prosecution of Julius Bassus, who had been accused of mismanagement while proconsul of Bithynia and Pontus;[5] and in the matter of Varenus Rufus, also indicted by the people of Bithynia and Pontus for mismanagement.[6] These prove he was active in the Senate during the first years of the second century. Pliny may be referring to him when he writes to his friend Caninus Rufus about the death of the poet Silius Italicus: in that letter, he mentions that the oldest son was doing well and had attained the consulship.[7]
Although his wife has not yet been identified, Fronto is known to have had a daughter, Caesia Frontina.[2]