Mucia Tertia
Encyclopedia
Mucia Tertia was a Roman
matrona
who lived in the 1st century BC. She was the daughter of Quintus Mucius Scaevola
, the pontifex maximus
, consul in 95 BC. Her mother was a Licinia that divorced her father to marry Quintus Caecilius Metellus Nepos
, in a scandal mentioned by several sources. Her name, Mucia Tertia, would suggest that she was a third daughter, according to the Roman naming convention for women, though it is believed that this was instead to differentiate her from her two aunts. Mucia had also two younger brothers from her mother's second marriage (see Caecilius Metellus family tree
), and she was a cousin (soror) of Q. Metellus Celer
, consul in 60 BC, and of Q. Metellus Nepos
, consul in 57 BC.
Mucia's first husband was the short-lived and unlucky Gaius Marius the Younger
. His death at the hands of Lucius Cornelius Sulla
left her a pawn of the victors.
Sulla, as dictator
, needed to secure Pompey
's loyalty and to do that, he arranged his marriage to Mucia around 79 BC. This marriage resulted in three children: Gnaeus Pompeius
(Pompey the Younger), the girl Pompeia Magna (married to Faustus Cornelius Sulla) and Sextus Pompey. She had the misfortune to outlive all three of her children.
Between 76 and 61 BC, Pompey spent most of the time away from Rome, campaigning in Hispania against Sertorius, in the Mediterranean Sea
against the pirates and in the East, and fighting king Mithridates VI of Pontus
. On his final return, in 61 BC, Pompey sent Mucia a letter of divorce. According to Cicero
's personal correspondence, the motive was adultery (it is said that she was one of Julius Caesar
's many affairs, although Pompey's friendship and alliance with Caesar at the time would tend to suggest that Pompey himself either did not regard this rumour as true or did not consider it important). Mucia next married Marcus Aemilius Scaurus
, a stepson of the dictator Sulla. In 39 BC, Mucia, at the earnest request of the Roman people, went to Sicily to mediate between her son Sextus Pompey and Augustus. She was living at the time of the battle of Actium, 31 BC. Augustus treated her with great respect.
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
matrona
Women in Rome
Freeborn women in ancient Rome were citizens , but could not vote or hold political office. Because of their limited public role, women are named less frequently than men by Roman historians. But while Roman women held no direct political power, those from wealthy or powerful families could and did...
who lived in the 1st century BC. She was the daughter of Quintus Mucius Scaevola
Quintus Mucius Scaevola Pontifex
Quintus Mucius Scaevola Pontifex , the son of Publius Mucius Scaevola was a politician of the Roman Republic and an important early authority on Roman law. He is credited with founding the study of law as a systematic discipline...
, the pontifex maximus
Pontifex Maximus
The Pontifex Maximus was the high priest of the College of Pontiffs in ancient Rome. This was the most important position in the ancient Roman religion, open only to patricians until 254 BC, when a plebeian first occupied this post...
, consul in 95 BC. Her mother was a Licinia that divorced her father to marry Quintus Caecilius Metellus Nepos
Quintus Caecilius Metellus Nepos
Quintus Caecilius Metellus Nepos was a son of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Balearicus. He was a Consul in 98 BC, having fought at the Iberian Peninsula against the Celtiberians and the Vaccaei, suffering before these ones a memorable defeat.He married Licinia Prima, who after widowed married the...
, in a scandal mentioned by several sources. Her name, Mucia Tertia, would suggest that she was a third daughter, according to the Roman naming convention for women, though it is believed that this was instead to differentiate her from her two aunts. Mucia had also two younger brothers from her mother's second marriage (see Caecilius Metellus family tree
Caecilius Metellus family tree
The Caecilii Metellii was one of the most important and wealthiest families in the Roman Republic. Although plebeians , the Caecilii Metelli were nobles...
), and she was a cousin (soror) of Q. Metellus Celer
Quintus Caecilius Metellus Celer (consul)
Quintus Caecilius Metellus Celer was a Consul in 60 BC and son of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Nepos, or, according to some, the son of Tribune Quintus Caecilius Metellus Celer while the latter is the son of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Nepos...
, consul in 60 BC, and of Q. Metellus Nepos
Quintus Caecilius Metellus Nepos Iunior
Quintus Caecilius Metellus Nepos Iunior was a son of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Nepos. He was a Tribune in 62 BC, a Praetor in 60 BC, a Consul in 57 BC and the Governor of Hispania Citerior in 56 BC....
, consul in 57 BC.
Mucia's first husband was the short-lived and unlucky Gaius Marius the Younger
Gaius Marius the Younger
Gaius Marius Minor, also known in English as Marius the Younger or informally "the younger Marius" , was the adopted son of Gaius Marius, who was seven times consul, and a famous military commander. Appian first describes him as the son of the great Marius, but in a subsequent passage, he is...
. His death at the hands of Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix , known commonly as Sulla, was a Roman general and statesman. He had the rare distinction of holding the office of consul twice, as well as that of dictator...
left her a pawn of the victors.
Sulla, as dictator
Roman dictator
In the Roman Republic, the dictator , was an extraordinary magistrate with the absolute authority to perform tasks beyond the authority of the ordinary magistrate . The office of dictator was a legal innovation originally named Magister Populi , i.e...
, needed to secure Pompey
Pompey
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, also known as Pompey or Pompey the Great , was a military and political leader of the late Roman Republic...
's loyalty and to do that, he arranged his marriage to Mucia around 79 BC. This marriage resulted in three children: Gnaeus Pompeius
Gnaeus Pompeius
Gnaeus Pompeius should not be confused with his father, Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, known as "Pompey the Great."Gnaeus Pompeius , also known as Pompey the Younger , was a Roman politician and general from the late Republic .Gnaeus Pompeius was the elder son of Pompey the Great Gnaeus Pompeius should...
(Pompey the Younger), the girl Pompeia Magna (married to Faustus Cornelius Sulla) and Sextus Pompey. She had the misfortune to outlive all three of her children.
Between 76 and 61 BC, Pompey spent most of the time away from Rome, campaigning in Hispania against Sertorius, in the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
against the pirates and in the East, and fighting king Mithridates VI of Pontus
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...
. On his final return, in 61 BC, Pompey sent Mucia a letter of divorce. According to 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 personal correspondence, the motive was adultery (it is said that she was one of Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
's many affairs, although Pompey's friendship and alliance with Caesar at the time would tend to suggest that Pompey himself either did not regard this rumour as true or did not consider it important). Mucia next married Marcus Aemilius Scaurus
Marcus Aemilius Scaurus (praetor 56 BC)
Marcus Aemilius Scaurus was a Roman politician of the 1st century BC and son of Marcus Aemilius Scaurus and Caecilia Metella Dalmatica.Scaurus lost his father when he was very young, but his education was insured by several other family friends...
, a stepson of the dictator Sulla. In 39 BC, Mucia, at the earnest request of the Roman people, went to Sicily to mediate between her son Sextus Pompey and Augustus. She was living at the time of the battle of Actium, 31 BC. Augustus treated her with great respect.