Quintus Cecilius Metellus Nepot (Consul 57 BC)

Origin

Quintus Cecilius belonged to the influential plebeian family Ceciliev Metellov , descending, according to legend, from the son of the god Vulcan Tsekul , the founder of the city of Prenest ^[1] . Metelles became part of the senatorial estate at the beginning of the III century BC. e.: the first consul of this kind was elected in 285 BC. e. Antique authors report that the mother of Metellus Nepot and his brother Metellus Celer , who bore the same name , was Celia , known for her immoral behavior. There is no unambiguous information about the father in the sources; additional difficulties are created by the fact that in the previous generation there were also Quintus Cecilius Metell Celer , the national stands of 90 BC. e., and Quintus Cecilius Metellus Nepot , consul 98 BC e., each other cousins ​​(both were grandchildren of Quintus Cecilius Metellus of Macedon ). For a long time, researchers assumed that the nepot Sr. was the father of both brothers and that Celer Jr. was adopted by his cousin ^{[2] [3]} . But the anti-historian Timothy Wiseman in an article published in 1971, proved that it was just the opposite: the Quinta brothers were the sons of Celer Sr., and Nepot the Younger went to his uncle's family ^{[4] [5]} . In this case, the latter was the grandson of Quintus Cecilius Metella of Balearic , consul 123 BC. e. ^[6] Valery Maxim believed that the consul was 57 years BC. e. He received the nickname Nepot ( nepos , grandson) after his death ^[7] , but this is definitely not the case: Quint inherited this second cognognism from his father (adoptive or native) ^[8] , the eldest of Metellus of Macedon’s grandchildren ^[9] .

After the death of her husband, Celia married a second time - to Quintus Mucius Stcevolu Pontific . Metella Nepot’s uterine sister was Muzia Tertia , the third wife of Gnei Pompey the Great and the mother of all three of his children: Gnei , Sextus and Pompeii , the wife of Favst Cornelius Sulla ^[10] .

The Early Years and Early Careers

Researchers date the birth of Metellus Nepot, given the date of his consul and the requirements of the Corneliev Law, which established a certain minimum age for each of the higher magistracy , 100 BC. e. ^[11] It is known that his father (according to Wiseman, the adoptive) on his deathbed bequeathed to him to avenge old insults to Guy Scribonia Curion : he had earlier brought Nepot Sr. to court ^[12] , and the essence of the charge and the outcome of the process are unclear ^[9] .

The first dated mention of Nepotus the Younger in the surviving sources dates back to 80 BC. e., by the time of the dictatorship of Lucius Cornelius Sulla ^[13] . Then Quint, together with his brother, brought to trial Mark Emilius Lepidus on charges of abuse of power during Sicilian governorship. The brothers were driven by the usual desire for young Roman aristocrats to draw general attention to themselves, but historiography has suggested ^[14] that Sulla stood behind them, seeing in Lepidus a threat to his power. On the side of the accused stood Gnei Pompey the Great . The Metelles saw that the people were on the side of Lepidus, and dropped the charge under the pretext of property with Pompey: the latter had already been married to their sister by that time ^[15] .

Presumably in 77 BC. e. Nepot initiated a lawsuit against Publius Gabinius , and in 70 BC e. - against Guy Licinius Verres (in the latter case, the actual customers of the prosecution were representatives of the Roman business community, dissatisfied with some abuse of Verres in Achaea ) ^[13] . In 67 BC e., when Gnei Pompey the Great began the fight against Mediterranean pirates , Quintius Cecilius acted as a legate of his son-in-law in the East, off the coast of Asia Minor and Phenicia ^{[16] [17] [18]} . Subsequently, he participated under the leadership of Pompey in the Third Mithridates War and other eastern campaigns; in particular, in 64 BC. e. Nepot, together with Lucius Lolli, took Damascus ^{[19] [20] [21]} .

Tribunate

In the summer of 63 BC e. Quintus Cecilius returned to Rome and put forward his candidacy for the people's tribunes . He acted as an agent of Gnei Pompey ^[22] : the latter, who was preparing to surrender his command, needed loyal people in high positions to achieve the approval of his orders in the East and the provision of land to his veterans. Nepot won the election, but one of his colleagues was Mark Porzi Caton ^[23] , who ran specially to oppose him ^{[24] [25] [26]} .

The beginning of the tribune year was marked by a conflict between Nepot and the consul 63 BC. e. Mark Tullius Cicero . The last of January 1 was to deliver a reporting speech traditional for completing a magistracy, in which, in particular, his story would be heard about the execution of supporters of Lucius Sergius Katilina ; but Quintus Cecilius forbade this speech by the power of the tribunal veto ^[27] . As a result, Cicero, in his words, was “insulted, to which not even the most unworthy citizen was ever subjected, even holding the most insignificant position” ^[28] . He tried to start negotiations with Nepot through mutual friends, but he refused. This was followed by a series of pickets in the Senate and in the national assembly: Quintius Cecilius showed his extremely hostile attitude, and Mark Tullius opposed his initiatives. In this regard, Metell Celer wrote to Cicero a letter with reproaches ^[29] , and he replied that he was only defending himself and that out of love for him he was ready to stop hating Nepot ^{[30] [31] [32]} .

Quintus Cecilius urgently called to Italy Gnei Pompey with the army and gave him the authority to defeat Catilina, who at that time was gathering the army in Etruria . Plutarch claims that in reality Nepot wanted to provide his son-in-law with the conditions for seizing sole power. The tribune was supported by one of the praetors , Gaius Julius Caesar , and opposed by Mark Portius Cato, who relied on the Senate. On election day, the assembly came to open clashes, and Nepot brought to the forum gladiators , slaves, and “foreign mercenaries.” When he tried to announce his initiative, Cato snatched the scroll from his hands, and another popular tribune, Quintus Minucius Term , squeezed his mouth; Riots began, and the meeting was dissolved. After that, the senate, dressed in mourning, declared a state of emergency. Quintus Cecilius was removed from office, announced that he was forced to flee "from the tyranny of Cato and from the conspiracy against Pompey," and left for the East ^{[33] [34] [35] [36] [37]} .

Pinnacle and Death

After a short time, Quintus Cecilius returned to Italy with Gnei Pompey. The latter divorced his sister, and after that Nepot became his political opponent, as did Celer ^[38] . In 60 BC e. Quintus served as praetor ^[39] ; in this capacity, he secured the abolition of customs duties in Italian harbors ^[40] . In 59 BC e., after the death of his brother, Nepot could take his place in the priestly college of the Augurs , and after April he was supposed to leave for the province appointed to him ^[41] , but the surviving sources do not report anything about the development of the situation. This may mean that someone else became an augur and that Quint did not go to the province ^[35] .

The consul of 57 BC e., together with the patrician Publius Cornelius Lentulus Spinter ^[42] . At the beginning of the consular year, the main topic discussed in Rome was the fate of Mark Tullius Cicero: this politician, accused by Publius Claudius Pulchrome of reckless reprisal against the catilinaries, had previously been forced into exile, but now there were proposals from all sides to allow him to return. Cicero was afraid that Nepot would oppose due to old hostility ^[43] . Quintus Cecilius, contrary to general expectations, on the very first day of the consulate spoke out for the return of the exile. At the same time, he continued to support Publius Clodius, who belonged to him as a relative: he did not allow Titus Annius Milon to bring Clodius to court, he supported the candidacy of Publius in the election of aediles . Only in August, when the advantage of the supporters of Cicero became absolutely obvious, Nepot finally sided with the exile ^[44] .

The province of Quinta Cecilia became Middle Spain . It is known that in December 57 BC. e. Nepot did not attend Senate meetings; this may mean that he went to the Pyrenees before the end of his consular year. In the province, he faced a Wakkee rebellion. At first Nepot won, but later the rebels took the city of Clunia, and the governor could not stop them because of the limited military forces ^{[45] [46]} .

Quintus Cecilius returned to Rome in 55 BC e. and soon after that he died. Having no children, he made Guy Carrina his heir, bypassing numerous relatives ^{[47] [46]} .

Plutarch calls Metella Nepot a man “stubborn and fearless.” ^[48] In the Brutus treatise, Cicero mentions Quintus Cecilia among the secondary speakers of his era, noting his abilities and education, but adding that he “did not deal with court cases, but spoke as he was used to in public meetings” ^[49] .

One letter of Metellus Nepot survived, addressed to Cicero and dated the second half of 56 BC. e. In it, Quint complains to the addressee about Publius Claudius ^[50] .

Your good attitude towards me softens the insults that the most unbearable person often exposes me to at public gatherings. I neglect them, because, based on such a person, they do not matter, and I readily believe that you are replacing my brother in another guise.

I don’t even want to remember him, although I saved him twice against his will. In order not to annoy you with numerous letters, I wrote in detail about my affairs to Lolly so that he would inform and remind you of the activities I needed to manage the province. If you can, please keep your former location to me.

- Cicero. To loved ones, V, 3. ^[50]

Quintus Cecilius did not have a family ^[51] . Sources report that Nepot was close to the famous tragic actor Pamphilus ^{[7] [52]} .

Sources

1. Lucius Anney Flor . Epitomes // Small Roman Historians. - M .: Ladomir, 1996 .-- 99-190 s. - ISBN 5-86218-125-3 .
2. Appian of Alexandria . Roman history. - M .: Ladomir, 2002 .-- 880 p. - ISBN 5-86218-174-1 .
3. Asconius Pedian . Comments on the speeches of Cicero (neopr.) . Attalus Date of treatment February 8, 2019.
4. Valery Maxim . Memorable deeds and sayings. - SPb. , 1772. - T. 2. - 520 s.
5. Dion Cassius . Roman history (neopr.) . Date of treatment February 8, 2019.
6. Pliny the Elder . Natural history (neopr.) . Date of treatment February 8, 2019.
7. Plutarch . Comparative biographies. - M .: Nauka, 1994 .-- ISBN 5-02-011570-3 , 5-02-011568-1.
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9. Mark Tullius Cicero. Letters from Mark Tullius Cicero to Attica, relatives, brother Quintus, M. Brutus. - SPb. : Nauka, 2010 .-- V. 3 .-- 832 p. - ISBN 978-5-02-025247-9 , 978-5-02-025244-8.
10. Mark Tullius Cicero. Speech. - M .: Nauka, 1993 .-- ISBN 5-02-011169-4 .
11. Josephus . Jewish war. - Minsk: Belarus, 1991 .-- 512 p. - ISBN 5-338-00653-7 .
12. Josephus. Jewish antiquities. - Rostov-on-Don: Phoenix, 1999. - T. 1. - ISBN 5-222-00476-7 .

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16. Wiseman T. Legendary Genealogies in Late-Republican Rome // G&R. - 1974. - No. 2 . - S. 153-164 .

• Quintus Cecilius Metellus Nepot (Consul 57 BC ) - in Smith 's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.