Caninius Gallus was a member of the
Plebeian gens Caninia. Originally from
Tusculum, he was either the son or grandson of
Lucius Caninius Gallus, the consul of 37 BC. The stemma provided by an inscription commemorating his daughter, Caninia Galla, strongly suggests that he is the son rather than grandson of the consul of 37,
pace Syme. Gallus was
triumvir monetalis in 12 BC. His praetorian career is unknown, although it is speculated that he was an
aedile at Tusculum at some point. Possibly around AD 9/10, Gallus was appointed the
proconsular
governor of
Africa. Under the following emperor,
Tiberius, he was the president of the
curatores alvei Tiberis et riparum et cloacarum urbis (or officials responsible for maintaining the banks of the
Tiber River and the sewers of the city of
Rome). Gallus was a member of the college of
quindecimviri sacris faciundis. In AD 32 he asked the
senate to vote on a resolution about including a new collection of
Sibylline oracles in the state's official collection of
Sibylline Books. Although the senate agreed, the emperor Tiberius rebuked Caninius Gallus for being rash and not following correct religious procedures, and the matter was referred to the full college of the
quindecimviri sacris faciundis. Gallus was also a member of the college of the
Arval Brethren, becoming
magister of the college by AD 36. ==References==