Scaurus, Marcus Aemilius

Scaurus, Marcus Aemilius

▪ Roman politician
born c. 163 BC
died c. 89 BC

      a leader of the Optimates (conservative senatorial aristocrats) and one of the most influential men in the Roman government about 100 BC. Marcus Tullius Cicero (Cicero, Marcus Tullius), in his speech “In Defense of Fonteius,” wrote that the world was almost ruled by a nod of Scaurus's head.

      Scaurus was born into an impoverished patrician family and acquired wealth in business before entering public life. With the backing of the family of the Metelli, Scaurus obtained the consulship in 115; in that year he defeated several Alpine tribes and was awarded a triumph. He was then chosen princeps senatus (“senior senator”), a position he held until his death. In 112 Scaurus headed an embassy to the Numidian king Jugurtha. According to his political opponents, he was one of the nobles bribed by Jugurtha in 111 to accept a peace unfavourable to Rome, and in order to avoid exposure, Scaurus had himself appointed (109) to the commission established to inquire into such allegations. As censor in 109 he directed construction of a highway, the Via Aemilia, through Pisa to Dertona (modern Tortona, Italy). When L. Appuleius Saturninus was removed from the post of grain commissioner at Ostia sometime before 104, Scaurus took charge of the grain supply. In 100 Scaurus, as senior senator, moved the “ultimate decree of the Senate” against Saturninus and his followers, who were then legally massacred. In 91 he supported an attempt by the tribune Livius Drusus to extend the franchise to Rome's Italian allies. With the outbreak of the Social War his enemies brought him to trial (90) on a charge of intriguing with the allies, but he was acquitted. Scaurus married Caecilia Metella, who later married the dictator L. Cornelius Sulla; Scaurus's daughter, Aemilia, married Gnaeus Pompey.

      Ancient evaluations of Scaurus's character were coloured by political prejudice: Cicero praised him highly, while Sallust, an opponent of the Optimates, presented a far less flattering portrait in his monograph Jugurtha. Scaurus's autobiography, perhaps the first in literary history, has been lost.

▪ Roman quaestor
died after 52 BC

      quaestor and proquaestor to Gnaeus Pompey in the third war (74–63) between Rome and King Mithradates of Pontus (in northeastern Anatolia).

      Scaurus was the son of a powerful politician of the same name. In 64, Scaurus marched to Judaea, where he—perhaps after being bribed—installed as sovereign Aristobulus II over the rival claimant, John Hyrcanus II. Pompey later reversed the judgment. Scaurus also invaded Nabataea and, as aedile in 58, issued coins, some of which have survived, commemorating his botched campaign as a glorious victory. He spent much of his fortune on public games and so won enough popular support to be elected praetor in 56. As praetor he presided over the trial of Publius Sestius for street violence against Publius Clodius. (Cicero (Cicero, Marcus Tullius) gave a famous speech for the successful defense.)

      Scaurus recovered his fortune during his term as governor of Sardinia (55), but he was prosecuted for extortion the next year. Cicero, Quintus Hortensius, and other distinguished conservatives defended him and obtained an acquittal. Subsequently, in the campaign for the consulship, he and all the other candidates were charged with bribery. Cicero again defended him, but Pompey, who hated Scaurus for marrying his ex-wife Mucia, convicted him. Scaurus went into exile and never returned to power.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Marcus Aemilius Scaurus — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Aemilius Scaurus. Marcus Aemilius Scaurus (né en 163, mort en 88) était un homme politique Romain. On le considérait comme l un des plus talentueux et éminents hommes publics de son temps. Famille Scaurus est né… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Marcus Aemilius Scaurus der Jüngere — war ein Politiker der römischen Republik im 1. Jahrhundert vor Christus. Er war Sohn des gleichnamigen Politikers Marcus Aemilius Scaurus der Ältere und dessen zweiter Frau Caecilia Metella. Er verlor seinen Vater in jungen Jahren, so dass seine… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Marcus Aemilius Scaurus (consul 115 BC) — Marcus Aemilius Scaurus (born ca. 163 BC – died 89 BC) was a Roman consul in 115 BC and considered one of the most talented and influential politicians of the Republic. Scaurus was born in a patrician family, although impoverished. In order to… …   Wikipedia

  • Marcus Aemilius Scaurus der Ältere — (* um 163 v. Chr.; † 88 v. Chr.) war ein Politiker der römischen Republik. Leben Scaurus entstammte einer verarmten Patrizierfamilie, sein Vater versuchte den Lebensstandard der Familie als Kohlehändler zu sichern. Er selbst jedoch enthielt sich… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Marcus Aemilius Scaurus — ist der Name folgender Personen: Marcus Aemilius Scaurus der Ältere ( 163 v. Chr.–88 v. Chr.), römischer Politiker Marcus Aemilius Scaurus der Jüngere, römischer Politiker Marcus Aemilius Scaurus III., römischer Politiker Diese …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Marcus Aemilius Scaurus — (born ca. 163 BC ndash; died 89 BC) was a Roman politician. He was considered one of the most talented and influential politicians of his day.Scaurus was born in a patrician family, although impoverished. In order to maintain the family lifestyle …   Wikipedia

  • Marcus Aemilius Scaurus (son of Praetor 56 BC of the same name) — Marcus Aemilius Scaurus was the son of Marcus Aemilius Scaurus (Praetor 56 BC) and Mucia Tertia, former wife of Pompey the Great. Sextus Pompey was his half brother. He accompanied Sextus to Asia after the defeat of his fleet in Sicily by… …   Wikipedia

  • Marcus Aemilius Lepidus Porcina — was a member of important Roman gens Aemilia, consul in 137 BC. He was probably son of Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, tribune in 190 BC. Command in Spain He was sent into Spain in his consulship to succeed his colleague Gaius Hostilius Mancinus, who… …   Wikipedia

  • MARCUS Aemilius Scaurus Hortensius — Consulm an. Urb. Cond. 646 …   Hofmann J. Lexicon universale

  • MARCUS Aemilius Scaurus — Consul, an. Urb. Cond. 639 …   Hofmann J. Lexicon universale

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”