Gaius Caecilius Metellus Caprarius
Encyclopedia
Gaius Caecilius Metellus Caprarius was born around 160 BC. He served under Scipio Aemilianus in Numantia
around 133 BC. He was praetor
in 117 BC and consul
in 113 BC; his co-consul was Gnaeus Papirius Carbo
. Caprarius was proconsul in Thrace from 112-111 BC. He triumphed for his victory there in 111 BC. He was censor in 102 BC with his cousin, Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus
.
Caecilia.
Caprarius was the youngest son of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus
. Macedonicus was praetor in 148 BC and consul in 143 BC. He received the command in Macedonia, where he defeated a pretender to the throne named Andriscus
. He received a triumph and the cognomen
'Macedonicus' for this victory. He was censor in 131 BC. Macedonicus was a conservative aristocrat and opposed Tiberius Gracchus
and Gaius Gracchus
, who went around the senate and based their power on the people.
Caprarius' eldest brother was Quintus Caecilius Metellus Balearicus
. He went to Thessaly to obtain grain as aedile
around 130 BC. He was praetor by 126 BC and consul in 123 BC. Balearicus was given the command to defeat the inhabitants of the Balearic islands, who practiced piracy. He was victorious and triumphed in 121 BC, receiving the cognomen 'Balearicus'. He was censor in 120 BC.
Caprarius' second brother was Lucius Caecilius Metellus Diadematus
. He was given the cognomen 'Diadematus' because of the bandage he wore on a head wound. He was consul in 117 BC, and promoted infrastructural improvement in Italy A conservative aristocrat like his father, he probably opposed Gaius Gracchus
The third brother was Marcus Caecilius Metellus II. He was mint master in 127 BC, praetor by 118 BC, and consul in 115 BC. Marcus was given the proconsular command in Sardinia and Corsica from 114 BC to 111 BC, and triumphed for his victory there.
Caprarius had two sisters, both named Caecilia Metella. One married Gaius Servilius Vatia
, who was praetor in 114 BC. The other married Publius Scipio Nasica, who was consul in 111 BC.
Caprarius had three sons.
One was Quintus Caecilius Metellus Creticus, who was praetor in 74 BC and consul in 69 BC. He was pontifex from 73 BC until his death. Creticus was given the proconsular command against the island of Crete, which was aiding Mithridates
and infested with pirates. He defeated the island and triumphed for it in 62 BC, receiving the cognomen 'Creticus'.
Another son was Lucius Caecilius Metellus
. 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.
Marcus Caecilius Metellus was Caprarius' third son. He was praetor and president of the extortion court in 69 BC.
Caprarius' daughter, Caecilia Metella, was the wife of Gaius Verres. Verres was the governor of Sicily from 73 BC to 71 BC. He was also the defendant on trial in Cicero
's speech Against Verres
Numidicus was the son of Lucius Caecilius Metellus Calvus
. Numidicus was possibly mint master in 117 or 116 BC, he was praetor by 112 BC, and he was consul in 109 BC.
Both Caprarius and Numidicus were conservative aristocrats, in keeping with their family history. In their censorship, Numidicus tried unsuccessfully to expel Lucius Appuleius Saturninus
and Gaius Servilius Glaucia
from the Senate. Saturninus was a popularis, a politician that drew his power from the people. He was of plebeian stock. He was removed from his position as quaestor in 105 or 104 BC for being an opponent of the Senate. He proposed a law to reduce grain prices that received the support of Glaucia.
Glaucia was from a patrician family, but he, like Saturninus, was a popularis. Both had the support of Gaius Marius
. Glaucia collaborated with Saturninus against the Senate as tribune
in 101 BC and his praetorship in 100 BC. Glaucia and Saturninus conspired to make Glaucia consul and Saturninus tribune in 99 BC. They used violence in an attempt to reach their goal, and Saturninus murdered Glaucia's competitor for the consulship. Glaucia and Saturninus were imprisoned in the Curia
by Marius at the Senate's behest. They were both murdered by an angry mob.
To get revenge for the attempted expulsion from the Senate, Saturninus tried to force Numidicus to swear acceptance of a law that gave land to Marius' veterans. Numidicus refused and went into exile. Caprarius fought for Numidicus' return in 99 BC.
Numantia
Numantia is the name of an ancient Celtiberian settlement, whose remains are located 7 km north of the city of Soria, on a hill known as Cerro de la Muela in the municipality of Garray....
around 133 BC. He was praetor
Praetor
Praetor was a title granted by the government of Ancient Rome to men acting in one of two official capacities: the commander of an army, usually in the field, or the named commander before mustering the army; and an elected magistratus assigned varied duties...
in 117 BC and consul
Consul
Consul was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire. The title was also used in other city states and also revived in modern states, notably in the First French Republic...
in 113 BC; his co-consul was Gnaeus Papirius Carbo
Gnaeus Papirius Carbo
Gnaeus Papirius Carbo was a three-time consul of ancient Rome.A member of the Carbones of the plebeian gens Papiria, and nephew of Gaius Papirius Carbo , he was a strong supporter of the Marian party, and took part in the blockade of Rome...
. Caprarius was proconsul in Thrace from 112-111 BC. He triumphed for his victory there in 111 BC. He was censor in 102 BC with his cousin, Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus
Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus
Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus was the leader of the conservative faction of the Roman Senate and a bitter enemy of Gaius Marius....
.
Family
The Caecilii Metelli were an extremely prominent family in the late Roman Republic. They were conservative aristocrats, though members of the plebeian gensGens
In ancient Rome, a gens , plural gentes, referred to a family, consisting of all those individuals who shared the same nomen and claimed descent from a common ancestor. A branch of a gens was called a stirps . The gens was an important social structure at Rome and throughout Italy during the...
Caecilia.
Caprarius was the youngest son of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus
Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus
Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus was a Praetor in 148 BC, Consul in 143 BC, Proconsul of Hispania Citerior in 142 BC and Censor in 131 BC. He was the oldest son of Quintus Caecilius Metellus and grandson of Lucius Caecilius Metellus.A brilliant general, he fought in the Third Macedonian War...
. Macedonicus was praetor in 148 BC and consul in 143 BC. He received the command in Macedonia, where he defeated a pretender to the throne named Andriscus
Andriscus
Andriscus, and often called the "pseudo-Philip", was the last King of Macedon , and ruler of Adramyttium in Aeolis ....
. He received a triumph and the cognomen
Cognomen
The cognomen nōmen "name") was the third name of a citizen of Ancient Rome, under Roman naming conventions. The cognomen started as a nickname, but lost that purpose when it became hereditary. Hereditary cognomina were used to augment the second name in order to identify a particular branch within...
'Macedonicus' for this victory. He was censor in 131 BC. Macedonicus was a conservative aristocrat and opposed Tiberius Gracchus
Tiberius Gracchus
Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus was a Roman Populares politician of the 2nd century BC and brother of Gaius Gracchus. As a plebeian tribune, his reforms of agrarian legislation caused political turmoil in the Republic. These reforms threatened the holdings of rich landowners in Italy...
and Gaius Gracchus
Gaius Gracchus
Gaius Sempronius Gracchus was a Roman Populari politician in the 2nd century BC and brother of the ill-fated reformer Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus...
, who went around the senate and based their power on the people.
Caprarius' eldest brother was Quintus Caecilius Metellus Balearicus
Quintus Caecilius Metellus Balearicus
Quintus Caecilius Metellus Balearicus was a son of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus. He was a Consul in 123 BC and a Censor in 120 BC, dominated Sardinia and conquered the Balearic Islands - for what he earned his cognomen and the honours of Triumph - establishing at Palma and Pollentia two...
. He went to Thessaly to obtain grain as aedile
Aedile
Aedile was an office of the Roman Republic. Based in Rome, the aediles were responsible for maintenance of public buildings and regulation of public festivals. They also had powers to enforce public order. There were two pairs of aediles. Two aediles were from the ranks of plebeians and the other...
around 130 BC. He was praetor by 126 BC and consul in 123 BC. Balearicus was given the command to defeat the inhabitants of the Balearic islands, who practiced piracy. He was victorious and triumphed in 121 BC, receiving the cognomen 'Balearicus'. He was censor in 120 BC.
Caprarius' second brother was Lucius Caecilius Metellus Diadematus
Lucius Caecilius Metellus Diadematus
Lucius Caecilius Metellus Diadematus was the second son of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus....
. He was given the cognomen 'Diadematus' because of the bandage he wore on a head wound. He was consul in 117 BC, and promoted infrastructural improvement in Italy A conservative aristocrat like his father, he probably opposed Gaius Gracchus
The third brother was Marcus Caecilius Metellus II. He was mint master in 127 BC, praetor by 118 BC, and consul in 115 BC. Marcus was given the proconsular command in Sardinia and Corsica from 114 BC to 111 BC, and triumphed for his victory there.
Caprarius had two sisters, both named Caecilia Metella. One married Gaius Servilius Vatia
Gaius Servilius Vatia
Gaius Servilius Vatia was a Praetor in 114 BC.He married Caecilia Metella, born c. 170 BC, daughter of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus. By her he had:* Publius Servilius Vatia Isauricus-Further reading:...
, who was praetor in 114 BC. The other married Publius Scipio Nasica, who was consul in 111 BC.
Caprarius had three sons.
One was Quintus Caecilius Metellus Creticus, who was praetor in 74 BC and consul in 69 BC. He was pontifex from 73 BC until his death. Creticus was given the proconsular command against the island of Crete, which was aiding Mithridates
Mithridates VI of Pontus
Mithridates VI or Mithradates VI Mithradates , from Old Persian Mithradatha, "gift of Mithra"; 134 BC – 63 BC, also known as Mithradates the Great and Eupator Dionysius, was king of Pontus and Armenia Minor in northern Anatolia from about 120 BC to 63 BC...
and infested with pirates. He defeated the island and triumphed for it in 62 BC, receiving the cognomen 'Creticus'.
Another son was Lucius Caecilius Metellus
Lucius Caecilius Metellus
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 Marcus Rex.- Family :...
. 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.
Marcus Caecilius Metellus was Caprarius' third son. He was praetor and president of the extortion court in 69 BC.
Caprarius' daughter, Caecilia Metella, was the wife of Gaius Verres. Verres was the governor of Sicily from 73 BC to 71 BC. He was also the defendant on trial in Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
's speech Against Verres
Position as Censor
Caprarius was censor in 102 BC with his cousin, Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus. The purpose of the censors was to monitor the roll of the Senate and remove people from it when necessary. The office of censor was not held every year as others, such as the office of consul, were.Numidicus was the son of Lucius Caecilius Metellus Calvus
Lucius Caecilius Metellus Calvus
Lucius Caecilius Metellus Calvus was a Roman statesman. He was a son of Quintus Caecilius Metellus and brother of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus...
. Numidicus was possibly mint master in 117 or 116 BC, he was praetor by 112 BC, and he was consul in 109 BC.
Both Caprarius and Numidicus were conservative aristocrats, in keeping with their family history. In their censorship, Numidicus tried unsuccessfully to expel Lucius Appuleius Saturninus
Lucius Appuleius Saturninus
Lucius Appuleius Saturninus was a Roman popularist and tribune; he was a political ally of Gaius Marius, and his downfall caused a great deal of political embarrassment for Marius, who absented himself from public life until he returned to take up a command in the Social War of 91 to 88...
and Gaius Servilius Glaucia
Gaius Servilius Glaucia
Gaius Servilius Glaucia was a Roman politician who served as tribune of the Plebs in 101 BC and praetor in 100 BC. He arranged for the murder of an elected tribune of plebs to make spot for Lucius Appuleius Saturninus who was the next one to become tribune by the votes...
from the Senate. Saturninus was a popularis, a politician that drew his power from the people. He was of plebeian stock. He was removed from his position as quaestor in 105 or 104 BC for being an opponent of the Senate. He proposed a law to reduce grain prices that received the support of Glaucia.
Glaucia was from a patrician family, but he, like Saturninus, was a popularis. Both had the support of Gaius Marius
Gaius Marius
Gaius Marius was a Roman general and statesman. He was elected consul an unprecedented seven times during his career. He was also noted for his dramatic reforms of Roman armies, authorizing recruitment of landless citizens, eliminating the manipular military formations, and reorganizing the...
. Glaucia collaborated with Saturninus against the Senate as tribune
Tribune
Tribune was a title shared by elected officials in the Roman Republic. Tribunes had the power to convene the Plebeian Council and to act as its president, which also gave them the right to propose legislation before it. They were sacrosanct, in the sense that any assault on their person was...
in 101 BC and his praetorship in 100 BC. Glaucia and Saturninus conspired to make Glaucia consul and Saturninus tribune in 99 BC. They used violence in an attempt to reach their goal, and Saturninus murdered Glaucia's competitor for the consulship. Glaucia and Saturninus were imprisoned in the Curia
Curia
A curia in early Roman times was a subdivision of the people, i.e. more or less a tribe, and with a metonymy it came to mean also the meeting place where the tribe discussed its affairs...
by Marius at the Senate's behest. They were both murdered by an angry mob.
To get revenge for the attempted expulsion from the Senate, Saturninus tried to force Numidicus to swear acceptance of a law that gave land to Marius' veterans. Numidicus refused and went into exile. Caprarius fought for Numidicus' return in 99 BC.