Titus Pomponius Bassus


Titus Pomponius Bassus was a Roman senator who held a number of imperial appointments. He was suffect consul in the nundinium of September-December 94 as the colleague of Lucius Silius Decianus.
He enters history as the legatus or assistant of the proconsular governor of Asia Marcus Ulpius Traianus in 79/80. Although being a proconsular legate was a posting which could result in a number of influential contacts, fifteen years passed until Bassus acceded to the consulate.
Around the year 94, either after he stepped down from the consulate, or while holding that magistracy in absentia, Bassus began his term as governor of Cappadocia-Galatia; where most terms as governor are about three years, his was prolonged for six years, standing down in the year 100. Upon returning to Rome, he was appointed curator of the alimenta in Central Italy, and was elected by the council of Ferentinum to be patron of that city.
His last mention in history is as an addressee of Pliny the Younger. Pliny wrote Bassus a letter congratulating his retirement from the Senate, looking forward to a life of leisure and self-education after a career holding "highly distinguished magistracies" and having "commanded armies". This letter probably dates from the year 104 or 105.
It is likely that Lucius Pomponius Bassus, suffect consul in 118, is his son.