Publius Mucius Stcevola (consul 175 BC)

Publius Mucius belonged to the recently exalted plebeian clan Muciev . Later genealogies connected the family with the legendary Guy Mucius Cord , who burned his right hand in front of Porsenna and received the nickname “Lefty” ( lat. Scaevola ), but researchers consider this a fiction ^[1] . The first mention of Stcevol in the sources dates back to 215 BC. e., when Quintus Mucius Stcevola became a praetor . Publius Mutsi was his eldest son and the first consul in the family (he received a name from his grandfather ^[2] ). The brother of Publius was Quintus Mucius Stcevola , consul of 174 BC. e. ^{[3] [4]} .

The Mutsiev family was connected by a political union with the influential plebeian clan Fulviev Flakkov , who played an important role in the career of Publius. Presumably thanks to the support of Fulviev and Publius, and his brother Quintus received praetorship for 179 BC. e .; the consuls then were Quintus Fulvius Flaccus and his brother Lucius Manlius Acidin Fulvian ^[2] . The public got the most honorable post of urban praetor ( praetor urbanus ) ^[5] . In addition, the Senate entrusted him with an investigation into the poisoning case in Rome and ten miles around. In this case, another Quint Fulvius Flaccus , the consul- suffix of the previous year, was involved, so the Fulvians needed to put their man at the head of the investigation ^[2] .

In 175 BC e. Publius Mucius became consul together with patrician Mark Emilius Lepidus (the latter held this post for the second time). The consuls jointly opposed the Ligurs who plundered the cities of Luna and Pisa . Little is known about this war, since much of Libya's story has been lost; sources say that the Romans won and that the Senate on this occasion appointed a thanksgiving. Upon their return to Rome, Stsevola and Lepidus celebrated a triumph ^[6] . At the end of the year, Publius Mucius led the next election of magistrates and made sure that his brother was elected consul. The next time he is mentioned in sources in connection with the events of 170 BC. e.: under a Senate decree addressed to the city of Fisb in Boeotia , Stcevola was the first to sign, which speaks of his status as a senior and most influential senator ^[7] .

In 169 BC e. Stcevola put forward his candidacy for censorship , but lost the election to another plebeian consul - Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus ^[8] . After that, he is no longer mentioned in the sources ^[7] .

Publius Mucius had two sons. The first, bearing the same name , was consul in 133 BC. e. The second was adopted by one of the Licinians and after that received the name Publius Licinius Crassus Mucianus ^{[9] [3]} .

Sources

1. Titus Livy . The history of Rome from the foundation of the city. - M .: Nauka, 1994 .-- T. 3 .-- 768 p. - ISBN 5-02-008995-8 .
2. Mark Tullius Cicero . Brutus, or On the famous orators // Three treatises on oratory . - M .: Ladomir, 1994 .-- S. 253-328. - ISBN 5-86218-097-4 .

Literature

1. Egorov A. Mutsii Stcevola, Licinius of Crassus and Julia Caesari (Roman intelligentsia and the crisis of the end of I - beginning of II centuries BC) // Mnemon. - 2003. - No. 2 . - S. 191-204 .
2. Broughton T. Magistrates of the Roman Republic. - New York, 1951. - Vol. I. - P. 600.
3. Münzer F. Mucius // Paulys Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft . - 1933. - Bd. XVI, 1. - Kol. 412-414.
4. Münzer F. Mucius 16 // Paulys Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft . - 1933. - Bd. XVI, 1. - Kol. 424-425.

• Publius Mucius Stcevola (consul 175 BC) (English) . - in Smith 's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.