Marcus Aemilius Lepidus | |
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| Born | c. 121 BC |
| Died | 77 BC Sardinia, Roman Republic |
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Marcus Aemilius Lepidus (c. 121[citation needed] – 77 BC) was aRoman statesman and general. After the death ofLucius Cornelius Sulla, he joined or instigated a rebellion against theSullan regime, demanding a consecutive term as consul late in his year and, when refused, marching on Rome. Lepidus' forces were defeated in a battle near theMilvian Bridge and he fled to Sardinia. He was the father of thetriumvirLepidus and of theLucius Aemilius Lepidus Paullus who was consul in 50 BC.
During theSocial War, Lepidus fought in northern Italy underPompey Strabo, who was consul in 89 BC. He was probablyaedile while Sulla was in Greece fighting theFirst Mithridatic War.[1] By 82 BC, he had joined Sulla's side in thecivil war; that year, or perhaps early in the next year, he may have captured the city ofNorba inLatium.[2] Some time, during Sulla's dictatorship, he held the praetorship.[3]T R S Broughton, inMagistrates of the Roman Republic, dates this to 81 BC,[4] a proposition with whichT Corey Brennan agreed inPraetorship in the Roman Republic.[5]Sulla's proscriptions made Lepidus a fortune.[1]
After his praetorship, Lepidus becamepropraetorian governor ofSicily, dated 80 BC.[6][7] While Cicero, in theVerrines, blackens Lepidus' reputation as governor, these orations were written after Lepidus' dishonourable death in a context where it would have been difficult to separate invective against Lepidus and flattery for his successors from the truth. Regardless, it seems that his behaviour in Sicily was sufficient to prompt a prosecution byMetellus Nepos andMetellus Celer, men then in their youth. However, that the prosecution was dropped rapidly and without consequence for Lepidus' career – he was almost immediately elected consul – indicates either that the Metelli's case was weak or that Lepidus was too popular (possibly for his ability to successfully ship Sicilian grain to Rome) to be defeated in the courts.[8]
Lepidus was elected asconsul prior for 78 BC withQuintus Lutatius Catulus as his colleague.[9]Ronald Syme believed that there were only two candidates that year, but it is likely that the election was freely contested.[10] According toPlutarch,Pompey supported his election[11] and canvassed for him, against the wishes of Sulla, who did not trust Lepidus.[12][13] Plutarch's claims about the importance of Pompey's help cannot be taken at face value, due to his "tendency to exaggerate the impact of the major players"; Lepidus' noble ancestry, public work on thebasilica Aemilia, and possible bribery (per Sallust) also played to his advantage in the election.[14] It also is unclear whether Sulla in fact opposed Lepidus' candidature.[15]
During his term, Lepidus exploited the grievances of those who had lost the civil war against Sulla, campaigning against a public funeral for Sulla, who had died that year, and also for adamnatio memoriae on the dictator.[9] However, his consular colleagueQuintus Lutatius Catulus, with the support of Pompey,[16][17] was successful in securing the dictator a lavish public funeral,[18] perhaps out of the interest of the post-Sullan victors to legitimise Sulla's laws and reforms.[19] Lepidus continued however to agitate for the restoration of confiscated property, re-enfranchisement of those who lost their civil or political rights under Sulla, recall of exiled citizens, and repeal of Sullan legislation.[9] Many of those who had profited or otherwise benefitted from the proscriptions opposed recall of the exiles, fearing that the exiles would initiate prosecutions or demand return of their former property.[20]
Lepidus also was successful in securing the passage of alex frumentaria (law providing for the distribution of grain) to the urban plebs.[21] He opposed, however, restoration of the political rights of the tribunes, arguing – in a now lost speech – that restoration would not be in the public interest.[22] He also quarrelled with his colleague over the appointment of an urban prefect.[23]
Lepidus' populist rhetoric "brought results, perhaps even unforeseen results" when, at Faesulae in Etruria, the townsmen attacked Sulla's veteran colonies.[24] Lepidus and his colleague Catulus were assigned by thesenate to deal with the emergency. Gruen remarks explicitly that "evidently the senate did not feel that Lepidus'... pronouncements had compromised him to the point where he could not be sent to stifle an insurrection inspired by his own propaganda".[24] Lepidus had expected to widen his political support after Sulla's death by canvassing with opponents of the dictator, actions which were not seen by the senate as indicative of revolutionary sedition.[11]
Soon after arriving in Etruria, however, the insurgents acclaimed Lepidus as their leader,[24] a position he accepted in the face of mass popular support in the region.[25] Even after Lepidus had sided with the rebels, the senate did not act against him, awarding him the provinces of Gallia Transalpina and Cisalpina by regular procedure and instructed the two consuls not to engage in conflict with each other.[24] This indicates substantial support for Lepidus still existed in the senate.[26] It was only when Lepidus was ordered to return home to conduct consular elections did the senate turn against him: he demanded a consecutive consulship, "a condition which he must have known was unacceptable", and refused.[27]
In his absence and no elections, aninterrex was appointed and held elections which sawMamercus Aemilius Lepidus Livianus andDecimus Junius Brutus elected consuls. The result was transparently manipulated, with a competitor of Mamercus Lepidus forced to withdraw his candidacy. That said, the result itself ensured a clear public statement, however, that the Aemilii Lepidi and Junii Bruti as families "would survive the elimination of two rogue individual members".[28]
Early in 77 BC under the new consuls, asenatus consultum ultimum was passed against this Lepidus at the urging ofLucius Marcius Philippus (consul in 91 and ex-censor), instructing the proconsul Catulus, interrex Appius Claudius Pulcher, and other magistrates to defend the state.[27] Arrayed against the senate in Lepidus' camp included the youngerLucius Cornelius Cinna (son of theCinna who had died in 84 BC),Marcus Junius Brutus (father ofthe tyrannicide), oneMarcus Perperna, and a Scipio; a youngJulius Caesar's support was solicited, but he declined.[27]
As Catulus had a lacklustre military reputation, the senate also called upon Pompey, giving him an extraordinary command against the Lepidus.[29] Pompey, invested as alegatepro praetore, quickly recruited an army from among his veterans and shadowed Lepidus, who had marched his army to Rome, from the north. Catulus, who had recruited an army at Rome, now took on Lepidus directly, defeating him in a battle north of Rome. Meanwhile, Pompey had penned upMarcus Junius Brutus, one of Lepidus's commanders, inMutina. Pompey then marched against Lepidus' rear, catching him near Cosa; although Lepidus was again defeated, he was able to embark part of his army and retreated to Sardinia.[30] He died in Sardinia shortly thereafter, defeated by one Valerius Triarius (praenomen unknown) who was assigned therepro praetore.[31]
Pliny the Elder noted that Lepidus divorced his wife Appuleia but he does not give a date.[32] She was related toLucius Appuleius Saturninus. He enriched himself during Sulla'sproscriptions.[33] Pliny the Elder thought that he had the most beautiful house in Rome, with marble thresholds and shields with the battle scenes of Troy.[34]
in 78 Lepidus'lex frumentaria was apparently passed 'nullo resistente'
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Roman consul 78 BC With:Q. Lutatius Catulus | Succeeded by |
