Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus (c. 188 BC – 116 BC/115 BC) was a statesman and general of the Roman Republic during the second century BC. He was praetor in 148 BC, consul in 143 BC, the Proconsul of Hispania Citerior in 142 BC and censor in 131 BC. He got his agnomen, Macedonicus, for his victory over the Macedonians in the Fourth Macedonian War.
In 148 BC, as a praetor, he led Roman troops into victory over Andriscus twice. Andriscus was a self-proclaimed pretender to the Macedonian throne who claimed to be son of Perseus, last king of the Antigonid dynasty. Andriscus had risen against Rome intending to liberate Macedonia with an army recruited from Thrace. Under Metellus' authority Macedonia was reduced and made a Roman province. For that he was awarded the agnomen Macedonicus, and since then introduced the Clypeus Macedoniccus in his family's medals.
In 146 BC, he defeated Critolaos of Megalopolis at the Battle of Scarpheia and the Arcadians at Chaeronea but Metellus was then sent to fight in the Achaean War to avenge an insult offered to a Roman Embassy at Corinth. He fought under the command of consul Lucius Mummius Achaicus whose ultimate victory in the war against the Achaean League delayed Macedonicus from celebrating immediately the honours of the Triumph which his success at the battle of Scarpheia merited. On his return to Italy he received the honour of a triumph and the title Macedonicus. [2] At some point after this, he built the Portico of Metellus (Porticus Metelli) beside the Circus Flaminius in the southern Campus Martius, which contained two temples: one dedicated to Jupiter Stator and one dedicated to Juno. [3] Metellus is generally agreed to have been responsible for the building of the temple to Jupiter; it is disputed whether he also constructed the temple to Juno. [4] These were the first marble temples in Rome, and Metellus ornamented them with Lysippus's equestrian statues of Alexander the Great's generals. [2]
In 143-142 BC, when consul, he campaigned against the Celtiberians in central Hispania during the Numantine War, defeating the Arevaci, Lusones, Belli, Titii and the Vaccaei. He did not confront the city of Numantia, which then became the focus of the war and which resisted for ten years. [5]
In 133 BC, he gave a speech attacking Tiberius Gracchus regarding that tribune's plan to bypass the traditional prerogative of the senate and keep the vast fortune of the recently deceased Attalus III of Pergamon under the control of the Plebeian Assembly. [6] Attalus had bequeathed his kingdom to the people of Rome.
Metellus was elected censor in 131 BC, boldly pledging to halt the growing degradation of Roman custom. In a speech which he delivered at his appointment, he proposed that matrimony was to be mandatory for all citizens, in order to put an end to the libertine behaviour then already widespread. A century later Augustus caused this speech to be read at the Senate and published as an edict for the knowledge and regeneration of the Roman People. [7] His moralizing efforts awakened strong popular opposition, led by the tribune Gaius Atinius Labeo Macerio whom he had previously expelled from the Senate. He was almost killed by the mob on the Tarpeian Rock.
Later there were some disagreements between him and Scipio Aemilianus, but he never lost sight of the merits of this adversary, whose death he mourned, ordering his sons to transport Aemilianus' body to the crematory pyre.
Celebrated for his eloquence and his taste for the Arts, he died in 116/115 BC. He was generally respected as the paradigm of the fortunate Roman for from an illustrious birth he united all manner of civil and military honours, and left a large family of four sons, of whom one was then consul, two had already been and one would be soon. His two sons-in-law, Publius Cornelius Scipio Nasica and Gaius Servilius Vatia would also attain the consulship.
He was the oldest son of Quintus Caecilius Metellus and grandson of Lucius Caecilius Metellus.
He was the father of:
Metellus was played by Gordon Mitchell in the 1961 film The Centurion .
"Metellus raising the siege", a painting by Armand-Charles Caraffe, commemorates the legend of Metellus lifting the siege of Centobrigia in 142 BC, in order to spare the lives of innocents.
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This article concerns the period 139 BC – 130 BC.
This article concerns the period 149 BC – 140 BC.
Quintus Servilius Caepio was a Roman statesman and general, consul in 106 BC, and proconsul of Cisalpine Gaul in 105 BC. He was the father of Quintus Servilius Caepio and the grandfather of Servilia.
This is a historical timeline of Portugal.
Publius Servilius Vatia Isauricus, was a politician and general of the Roman Republic and a member of the plebeian branch of the gens Servilii. He was elected consul for 79 BC with Appius Claudius Pulcher as his consular collegae. From 78 to 74 BC, as proconsul of Cilicia, he fought against the Cilician Pirates and Isaurian hill tribes in Asia Minor. He was granted the agnomen Isauricus for his victories over the Isaurians. Upon returning to Rome he celebrated a triumph for his victories.
Licinia is the name used by ancient Roman women of the gens Licinia.
Lucius Caecilius Metellus Calvus was a Roman statesman. He was a son of Quintus Caecilius Metellus and brother of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus. First Calvus used to be a Praetor, later a Consul and Governor of Hispania in 142 BC, where he fought, without success, against Viriathus, then he became a Proconsul of Cisalpine Gaul in 141 BC, and from 140 BC to 139 he was a Legate. Also during those years, Calvus participated in an embassy to some Eastern states.
Marcus Caecilius Metellus was a Roman politician who served as plebeian aedile in 208 BC and as praetor urbanus in 206 BC. He was the son of Lucius Caecilius Metellus and the brother of Quintus Caecilius Metellus and Lucius Caecilius Metellus. While serving as plebeian aedile alongside Gaius Servilius Geminus, he oversaw the repetition of the Plebeian Games for two days, donated three statues to the Temple of Ceres, and held banquet for Jupiter during the festivities. He was elected praetor in 206 BC, the same year that his brother, Quintus, was consul, and given jurisdiction over the city. In 205 BC, he served as an ambassador to Attalus I, the king of Pergamon.
Quintus Caecilius Metellus was a pontiff in 216 BC, aedile of the plebeians in 209 BC, curule aedile in 208 BC, magister equitum in 207 BC, consul in 206 BC, dictator in 205 BC, proconsul of Bruttium in 204 BC, and an ambassador at the court of Philip V of Macedon in 185 BC.
Lucius Caecilius Metellus Delmaticus was a Roman politician and general. He was a son of Lucius Caecilius Metellus Calvus and brother of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus. He was consul in 119 BC; during his year, he opposed Gaius Marius' election procedures law. As consul and proconsul from 119–117 BC, he campaigned against the Dalmatians. For his victories, he triumphed in 117 BC, earning his cognomen and dedicating two temples – also contributing to repairs for the Temple of Castor and Pollux – from the spoils of war.
Lucius Caecilius Metellus was a Roman aristocrat. He was praetor in 71 BC. He succeeded Gaius Verres as governor of Sicily in 70 BC. He died in office as consul in 68 BC. His co-consul was Quintus Marcius Rex.
Gaius Caecilius Metellus Caprarius was a consul of the Roman Republic in 113 BC with Gnaeus Papirius Carbo. He served under Scipio Aemilianus in Numantia around 133 BC. He was praetor in 117 BC. His proconsulship in Thrace in 112–111 BC earned him a triumph. He was censor in 102 BC with his cousin, Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus.
Quintus Caecilius Metellus Creticus was a politically active member of the Roman upper class. He was praetor in 74 BC and pontifex from 73 BC until his death. He was consul in 69 BC along with Quintus Hortensius Hortalus.
Publius Cornelius Scipio Nasica was a politician of the Roman Republic. He belonged to the great patrician family of the Cornelii Scipiones, and was the son of the pontifex maximus Nasica Serapio, who famously murdered Tiberius Gracchus in 133 BC. Nasica was on track to a prestigious career like most of his ancestors, being praetor in 118 BC, but he died during his consulship in 111 BC.
Gaius Servilius Vatia was a politician of the Roman Republic in the second half of the 2nd century BC.
The gens Caecilia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome. Members of this gens are mentioned in history as early as the fifth century BC, but the first of the Caecilii who obtained the consulship was Lucius Caecilius Metellus Denter, in 284 BC. The Caecilii Metelli were one of the most powerful families of the late Republic, from the decades before the First Punic War down to the time of Augustus.
Gaius Fannius was a Roman republican politician who was elected consul in 122 BC, and was one of the principal opponents of Gaius Gracchus. He was a member of the Scipionic Circle.
