Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius
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Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius (c. 128 – 63 BC) was a Roman politician and general. Like the other members of the influential
Caecilii Metelli The gens Caecilia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome. Members of this gens are mentioned in history as early as the fifth century BC, but the first of the Caecilii who obtained the consulship was Lucius Caecilius Metellus Denter, in 284 BC. ...
family, he was a leader of the
Optimates Optimates (; Latin for "best ones", ) and populares (; Latin for "supporters of the people", ) are labels applied to politicians, political groups, traditions, strategies, or ideologies in the late Roman Republic. There is "heated academic dis ...
, the conservative faction opposed to the Populares during the last century of the
Roman Republic The Roman Republic ( la, Res publica Romana ) was a form of government of Rome and the era of the classical Roman civilization when it was run through public representation of the Roman people. Beginning with the overthrow of the Roman Kin ...
. His father Metellus Numidicus was banished from Rome through the machinations of
Gaius Marius Gaius Marius (; – 13 January 86 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. Victor of the Cimbric and Jugurthine wars, he held the office of consul an unprecedented seven times during his career. He was also noted for his important refor ...
and the Populares. He, because of his constant and unbending attempts to have his father officially recalled from exile, was given the
agnomen An ''agnomen'' (; plural: ''agnomina''), in the Roman naming convention, was a nickname, just as the ''cognomen'' was initially. However, the ''cognomina'' eventually became family names, so ''agnomina'' were needed to distinguish between simil ...
(nickname) ''Pius''. During the civil wars that were fought between 88 and 80 BC, Pius sided with
Lucius Cornelius Sulla Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix (; 138–78 BC), commonly known as Sulla, was a Roman general and statesman. He won the first large-scale civil war in Roman history and became the first man of the Republic to seize power through force. Sulla ha ...
and the Optimates. He successfully commanded Sulla's forces in the northern theatre (northern Italy and Cisalpine Gaul). In 81 BC he became Pontifex Maximus, then
consul Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states throu ...
the following year alongside Sulla. As
proconsul A proconsul was an official of ancient Rome who acted on behalf of a consul. A proconsul was typically a former consul. The term is also used in recent history for officials with delegated authority. In the Roman Republic, military command, or ...
Pius fought against
Sertorius Quintus Sertorius (c. 126 – 73 BC) was a Roman general and statesman who led a large-scale rebellion against the Roman Senate on the Iberian peninsula. He had been a prominent member of the populist faction of Cinna and Marius. During the l ...
(a former supporter of Marius) on the Iberian Peninsula; in the so-called
Sertorian War The Sertorian War was a civil war fought from 80 to 72 BC between a faction of Roman rebels ( Sertorians) and the government in Rome ( Sullans). The war was fought on the Iberian Peninsula (called ''Hispania'' by the Romans) and was one of the ...
. He served alongside
Pompey Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (; 29 September 106 BC – 28 September 48 BC), known in English as Pompey or Pompey the Great, was a leading Roman general and statesman. He played a significant role in the transformation of ...
slowly grinding down the rebels from 79 to 72/71 BC. For his victories during the Sertorian War he was granted a
Triumph The Roman triumph (Latin triumphus) was a celebration for a victorious military commander in ancient Rome. For later imitations, in life or in art, see Trionfo. Numerous later uses of the term, up to the present, are derived directly or indirectl ...
.


Early career

Metellus Pius, a member of the distinguished plebeian '' gens Caecilia'', was the son of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus, who was consul in 109 BC. His career began in that same year, when he accompanied his father to
Numidia Numidia ( Berber: ''Inumiden''; 202–40 BC) was the ancient kingdom of the Numidians located in northwest Africa, initially comprising the territory that now makes up modern-day Algeria, but later expanding across what is today known as Tunis ...
as his ''contubernalis'' (cadet) during the
Jugurthine War The Jugurthine War ( la, Bellum Iugurthinum; 112–106 BC) was an armed conflict between the Roman Republic and king Jugurtha of Numidia, a kingdom on the north African coast approximating to modern Algeria. Jugurtha was the nephew and adopte ...
, returning to Rome in 107 BC, when his father was forcibly recalled by the actions of Gaius Marius. In 100 BC, after his father was banished as a result of the political manoeuvrings of Gaius Marius and Lucius Appuleius Saturninus, Metellus Pius launched a campaign to have his father brought back from exile. He produced a petition in 99 BC to this effect, and his constant pleading on the subject resulted in Quintus Calidius, the
Plebeian Tribune Tribune of the plebs, tribune of the people or plebeian tribune ( la, tribunus plebis) was the first office of the Roman state that was open to the plebeians, and was, throughout the history of the Republic, the most important check on the power o ...
of 98 BC passing a law which allowed his father to return. As a result of his fidelity, he was given the
agnomen An ''agnomen'' (; plural: ''agnomina''), in the Roman naming convention, was a nickname, just as the ''cognomen'' was initially. However, the ''cognomina'' eventually became family names, so ''agnomina'' were needed to distinguish between simil ...
“Pius” for the constancy and inflexibility with which he fought for his father's political rehabilitation and return to
Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...
. Sometime during the 90s BC, Metellus Pius was elected to the
College of Pontiffs The College of Pontiffs ( la, Collegium Pontificum; see ''collegium'') was a body of the ancient Roman state whose members were the highest-ranking priests of the state religion. The college consisted of the '' pontifex maximus'' and the other '' ...
as a result of his family's eminence and influence. The outbreak of the Social War saw him employed as a
legate Legate may refer to: *Legatus, a higher ranking general officer of the Roman army drawn from among the senatorial class :*Legatus Augusti pro praetore, a provincial governor in the Roman Imperial period *A member of a legation *A representative, ...
in late 89 BC, probably serving the consul
Pompeius Strabo Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo (c. 135 – 87 BC) was a Roman general and politician, who served as consul in 89 BC. He is often referred to in English as Pompey Strabo, to distinguish him from his son, the famous Pompey the Great, or from Strabo the g ...
in the northern theatre; he won some battles against the
Marsi The Marsi were an Italic people of ancient Italy, whose chief centre was Marruvium, on the eastern shore of Lake Fucinus (which was drained for agricultural land in the late 19th century). The area in which they lived is now called Marsica. ...
. As a result of these victories, he was elected
praetor Praetor ( , ), also pretor, was the title granted by the government of Ancient Rome to a man acting in one of two official capacities: (i) the commander of an army, and (ii) as an elected '' magistratus'' (magistrate), assigned to discharge vario ...
in the following year (88 BC). During his praetorship, he was tasked with enrolling the Italian allies as new Roman citizens within sixty days, in accordance with the ''
Lex Plautia Papiria The ''Lex Plautia Papiria de Civitate Sociis Danda'' was a Roman plebiscite enacted amidst the Social War in 89 BCE. It was proposed by the Tribunes of the Plebs, M. Plautius Silvanus and C. Papirius Carbo. The law granted Roman citizenship to ...
''. Once this was completed, Metellus Pius returned to the front, and replaced the legate Gaius Cosconius on the southern front. He harassed the territory around
Apulia it, Pugliese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographic ...
, captured the town of
Venusia Venosa ( Lucano: ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Potenza, in the southern Italian region of Basilicata, in the Vulture area. It is bounded by the comuni of Barile, Ginestra, Lavello, Maschito, Montemilone, Palazzo San Gerva ...
, and defeated the rebel leader,
Quintus Poppaedius Silo Quintus Poppaedius Silo (sometimes seen as ''Pompaedius'') (died 88 BC) was a leader of the Italian tribe of the Marsi and one of the leaders of the Italian rebels during the Social War against Rome. Poppaedius was called the 'heart and soul' of t ...
, who died during the storming of Venusia.
Cicero Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, and academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises that led to the estab ...
, at the time a young man, remembered hearing Metellus speak at ''contiones'' in Rome during this period, most likely during Metellus' praetorship. Cicero remarked of Metellus' ability: 'although no real orator, he was nonetheless not without some capacity for public speech'. In 88 BC, after being sidelined by his political opponents, Sulla marched his legions on Rome and took the capital. He took revenge on his enemies and forced Marius into exile. Sulla then left Italy and went east to fight in the
First Mithridatic War The First Mithridatic War (89–85 BC) was a war challenging the Roman Republic's expanding empire and rule over the Greek world. In this conflict, the Kingdom of Pontus and many Greek cities rebelling against Roman rule were led by Mithridates ...
against Mithridates VI of Pontus. In 87 BC, Metellus Pius' command was extended, with his appointment as
propraetor In ancient Rome a promagistrate ( la, pro magistratu) was an ex-consul or ex-praetor whose ''imperium'' (the power to command an army) was extended at the end of his annual term of office or later. They were called proconsuls and propraetors. Thi ...
, responsible for continuing the war against
Samnium Samnium ( it, Sannio) is a Latin exonym for a region of Southern Italy anciently inhabited by the Samnites. Their own endonyms were ''Safinim'' for the country (attested in one inscription and one coin legend) and ''Safineis'' for the The ...
. Later that year, however, saw a dispute between the two consuls
Lucius Cornelius Cinna Lucius Cornelius Cinna (died 84 BC) was a four-time consul of the Roman Republic, serving four consecutive terms from 87 to 84 BC, and a member of the ancient Roman Cinna family of the Cornelia gens. Cinna's influence in Rome exacerb ...
and Gnaeus Octavius flare up into
war War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...
. Cinna, expelled from Rome, met up with the exiled
Gaius Marius Gaius Marius (; – 13 January 86 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. Victor of the Cimbric and Jugurthine wars, he held the office of consul an unprecedented seven times during his career. He was also noted for his important refor ...
, and with their ally
Quintus Sertorius Quintus Sertorius (c. 126 – 73 BC) was a Roman general and statesman who led a large-scale rebellion against the Roman Senate on the Iberian peninsula. He had been a prominent member of the populist faction of Cinna and Marius. During the l ...
they marched on Rome and laid siege to the city. During the early phase of this conflict, the
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
, fearing that they may need additional troops and commanders, ordered Metellus Pius to negotiate a peace with the Samnites. Marching to Rome, he made camp at the
Alban Hills The Alban Hills ( it, Colli Albani) are the caldera remains of a quiescent volcano, volcanic complex in Italy, located southeast of Rome and about north of Anzio. The high Monte Cavo forms a highly visible peak the centre of the caldera, bu ...
, accompanied by Publius Licinius Crassus. Here he met up with Gnaeus Octavius, who had abandoned Rome, but both men soon fell out with each other, over Metellus Pius' troops demanding that their commander take over overall command from Gnaeus Octavius. The Senate then asked him to negotiate with Cinna on their behalf, during which time he recognized Cinna as the legitimate consul. However, with Cinna's occupation of Rome and the executions initiated by Gaius Marius, Metellus Pius decided to abandon Rome and head to
North Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...
.


Supporter of Sulla

Arriving in Africa by early 86 BC, Metellus Pius started raising an army from his private clients, with the intent of joining
Lucius Cornelius Sulla Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix (; 138–78 BC), commonly known as Sulla, was a Roman general and statesman. He won the first large-scale civil war in Roman history and became the first man of the Republic to seize power through force. Sulla ha ...
, who had been the principal opponent of Cinna and Marius. He was joined by
Marcus Licinius Crassus Marcus Licinius Crassus (; 115 – 53 BC) was a Roman general and statesman who played a key role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire. He is often called "the richest man in Rome." Wallechinsky, David & Wallace, I ...
, but both men fell out, and Crassus was forced to leave and eventually join up with Sulla in Greece. Metellus acted as propraetorian governor of the province, but this was unrecognized by Cinna and his regime at Rome. Nevertheless, it wasn't until 84 BC that the Marians at Rome were able to send out their own governor, Gaius Fabius Hadrianus. Upon his arrival, he drove out Metellus Pius who fled to
Numidia Numidia ( Berber: ''Inumiden''; 202–40 BC) was the ancient kingdom of the Numidians located in northwest Africa, initially comprising the territory that now makes up modern-day Algeria, but later expanding across what is today known as Tunis ...
; pursued here, he and the Numidian king
Hiempsal II Hiempsal II was a king of Numidia (ruled 88 BC - 60 BC). He was the son of Gauda, half-brother of Jugurtha, and was the father of Juba I. In 88 BC, after the triumph of Lucius Cornelius Sulla, when Gaius Marius and his son fled from Rome to Afr ...
were forced to flee onwards to Mauretania. From here, Metellus Pius made his way to
Liguria Liguria (; lij, Ligûria ; french: Ligurie) is a Regions of Italy, region of north-western Italy; its Capital city, capital is Genoa. Its territory is crossed by the Alps and the Apennine Mountains, Apennines Mountain chain, mountain range and is ...
(in North-Western Italy) by late 84 BC or early 83 BC. By 83 BC, Sulla had returned from the east and was marching slowly to Rome for his confrontation with the Marian regime. Moving quickly, Metellus Pius was the first to meet him along the
Via Appia The Appian Way (Latin and Italian: ''Via Appia'') is one of the earliest and strategically most important Roman roads of the ancient republic. It connected Rome to Brindisi, in southeast Italy. Its importance is indicated by its common name, ...
, bringing new troops with him. He, like many of the aristocracy, only joined Sulla when it was prudent to do so, and not because they approved of his measures, such as his first march on Rome. Regardless, recognizing Metellus as possessing propraetorian imperium and his influence as a member of the powerful Metellan faction, Sulla made him his principal subordinate. By July 83 BC, the Senate, under the direction of the consul
Gnaeus Papirius Carbo Gnaeus Papirius Carbo (c. 129 – 82 BC) was thrice consul of the Roman Republic in 85, 84, and 82 BC. He was the head of the Marianists after the death of Cinna in 84 and led the resistance to Sulla during the civil war. He was proscribed by S ...
, declared Metellus Pius a public enemy. In 82 BC, Sulla sent him to secure the northern parts of Italy, he was accompanied by young
Pompey Magnus Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (; 29 September 106 BC – 28 September 48 BC), known in English as Pompey or Pompey the Great, was a leading Roman general and statesman. He played a significant role in the transformation of ...
,
Marcus Crassus Marcus Licinius Crassus (; 115 – 53 BC) was a Roman general and statesman who played a key role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire. He is often called "the richest man in Rome."Wallechinsky, David & Wallace, Ir ...
and Marcus Lucullus. Metellus attacked and defeated Gaius Carrinas in Picenum. He then achieved a victory over the consul Papirius Carbo and his general
Gaius Norbanus Gaius Norbanus (died 82 BC) was a Roman politician who was elected consul in 83 BC alongside Lucius Cornelius Scipio Asiaticus. He committed suicide in exile at Rhodes after being proscribed by Lucius Cornelius Sulla shortly after the latter's vi ...
at Faventia, pacifying Cisalpine Gaul for Sulla. With Sulla's victory in 82 BC, he began rewarding his supporters, and made Metellus Pius the Pontifex Maximus in 81 BC, following the murder of
Quintus Mucius Scaevola Pontifex Quintus Mucius Scaevola "Pontifex" (140–82 BC) 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. He was elected Pontifex Maximus ( ...
. He was also a
Monetalis A moneyer is a private individual who is officially permitted to mint money. Usually the rights to coin money are bestowed as a concession by a state or government. Moneyers have a long tradition, dating back at least to ancient Greece. They bec ...
from 82 BC to 80 BC. During this entire period, he was shown to be one of Sulla's best subordinates. An optimate and traditionalist he was a natural supporter of the Senate's prerogatives, he had no other objective apart from fighting the
populism Populism refers to a range of political stances that emphasize the idea of "the people" and often juxtapose this group against " the elite". It is frequently associated with anti-establishment and anti-political sentiment. The term developed ...
of Marius and Cinna, and did not participate in the atrocious violence during the reign of the
dictatorship A dictatorship is a form of government which is characterized by a leader, or a group of leaders, which holds governmental powers with few to no limitations on them. The leader of a dictatorship is called a dictator. Politics in a dictatorship a ...
of Sulla. Finally in 80 BC, he was appointed consul alongside Sulla. Metellus Pius used his position to reward Quintus Calidius, who had helped bring his father back, by supporting his bid for the
praetor Praetor ( , ), also pretor, was the title granted by the government of Ancient Rome to a man acting in one of two official capacities: (i) the commander of an army, and (ii) as an elected '' magistratus'' (magistrate), assigned to discharge vario ...
ship.


Sertorian War

Sometime during his consulship,
Quintus Sertorius Quintus Sertorius (c. 126 – 73 BC) was a Roman general and statesman who led a large-scale rebellion against the Roman Senate on the Iberian peninsula. He had been a prominent member of the populist faction of Cinna and Marius. During the l ...
, an opponent of Sulla, established himself in Spain and began a rebellion against the Senate. In 80 BC, after Sertorius had defeated Fufidius, the governor of
Hispania Ulterior Hispania Ulterior (English: "Further Hispania", or occasionally "Thither Hispania") was a region of Hispania during the Roman Republic, roughly located in Baetica and in the Guadalquivir valley of modern Spain and extending to all of Lusitania (m ...
, the Senate decided to send Metellus Pius once his term as consul had ended. Upgrading Hispania Ulterior to a consular
province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...
, they dispatched Metellus Pius to take charge of the war against Sertorius. Arriving in Spain in 79 BC Metellus Pius established his bases at ''Metellinum'' (today
Medellín Medellín ( or ), officially the Municipality of Medellín ( es, Municipio de Medellín), is the second-largest city in Colombia, after Bogotá, and the capital of the department of Antioquia. It is located in the Aburrá Valley, a central re ...
), ''Castra Caecilia'' (today Cáceres), ''Viccus Caecilius'', at the
Sierra de Gredos The Sierra de Gredos is a mountain range in central Spain that spans the provinces of Ávila, Salamanca, Cáceres, Madrid, and Toledo. It is part of the much larger Sistema Central of mountain ranges. Its highest point is Pico Almanzor, at ...
, and at ''Caeciliana'', near
Setúbal Setúbal (, , ; cel-x-proto, Caetobrix) is a city and a municipality in Portugal. The population in 2014 was 118,166, occupying an area of . The city itself had 89,303 inhabitants in 2001. It lies within the Lisbon metropolitan area. In the ti ...
. From the start, it was clear that Metellus Pius was outclassed by the brilliant Sertorius suffering repeated defeats through Sertorius’ use of guerrilla tactics. His
legate Legate may refer to: *Legatus, a higher ranking general officer of the Roman army drawn from among the senatorial class :*Legatus Augusti pro praetore, a provincial governor in the Roman Imperial period *A member of a legation *A representative, ...
Thorius (probably Lucius Thorius Balbus) −dispatched to come to the assistance of the governor of
Hispania Citerior Hispania Citerior (English: "Hither Iberia", or "Nearer Iberia") was a Roman province in Hispania during the Roman Republic. It was on the eastern coast of Iberia down to the town of Cartago Nova, today's Cartagena in the autonomous community of ...
, Marcus Domitus Calvinus− was defeated by Sertorius (79 BC). After Thorius's defeat Metellus decided to take on Sertorius himself. Metellus was a solid if unspectacular general, under normal circumstances he would have easily trounced his opponent with his superior forces, but now he was pitted against the tactically brilliant Sertorius. Plutarch describes the unequal campaign which followed: After an unsuccessful push towards the
Tagus The Tagus ( ; es, Tajo ; pt, Tejo ; see #Name, below) is the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula. The river rises in the Montes Universales near Teruel, in mid-eastern Spain, flows , generally west with two main south-westward sections ...
in 79 BC, and suffering a defeat by Sertorius at Lacobriga in 78 BC, Pius was forced to ask for help from Lucius Manlius, the governor of
Gallia Transalpina Gallia Narbonensis (Latin for "Gaul of Narbonne", from its chief settlement) was a Roman province located in what is now Languedoc and Provence, in Southern France. It was also known as Provincia Nostra ("Our Province"), because it was the ...
, but Manlius was defeated by Sertorius's legate Lucius Hirtuleius upon entering the Iberian peninsula and had to retreat. The end result was that an exhausted Pius was pushed out of his province (Hispania Ulterior). Metellus probably had a security problem. Sertorius was rumored to have many spies in his camp. On a later occasion a young officer asked Metellus the intention behind one of his order. Metellus retorted: "If the shirt on my back knew what I have in mind, I would take it off and throw it into the fire." When the consuls of 78 BC declined to join Metellus Pius as proconsuls once their terms ended, the Senate in late 77 BC, hearing of Pius' ongoing reverses at the hands of Sertorius, decided to send Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus with a large army to give Pius what assistance he could, while Pius' governorship was prorogued. Both men worked well together, but were hard pressed to win any encounter with Sertorius himself. With Pompey's arrival in 76 BC, Sertorius turned his attention to him, inflicting severe losses on the Pompeian army at the
Battle of Lauron The Battle of Lauron (also known as the Battle of Lauro, not to be confused for the Battle of Lauro of 45 BC) was fought in 76 BC by a rebel force under the command of the renegade Roman general Quintus Sertorius and an army of Roman Republic u ...
. Unfortunately for Sertorius, his legates were not able to contain Metellus, and he arrived just in time to save Pompey. Against Sertorius's legates Metellus and Pompey had more success. In 75 BC, Pompey defeated Sertorius's legates Perpenna and Herrenius at the Battle of Valentia while Metellus defeated Hirtuleius at the
Battle of Italica The Battle of Italica was fought in 75 BC between a rebel army under the command of Lucius Hirtuleius a legate of the Roman rebel Quintus Sertorius and a Roman Republican army under the command of the Roman general and proconsul of Hispania Ulter ...
.


Italica

The battle was Metellus' first major victory in the Sertorius War. It freed Metellus' army from the western theatre and allowed him to march against Sertorius' rear in the eastern theatre. Metellus and Hirtuleius were campaigning near the Roman colony of Italica when Hirtuleius made the mistake of trying to force his opponent into a pitched battle. He mustered his army soon after dawn and marched on Metellus' encampment. Metellus mustered his troops too, but kept them behind his entrenchments until noon. It was extremely hot and Hirtuleius' troops were soon sweltering while Metellus' legionaries remained relatively fresh. Since his enemy remained drawn up in front of his camp for hours, Metellus had plenty of time to study their dispositions and make his own plans accordingly. He had observed that Hirtuleius had posted his strongest units in the centre of his battle-line. When the battle finally commenced Metellus held back his own centre and concentrated on winning on the flanks. After defeating his opponent's flanks he enveloped Hirtuleius' centre and slaughtered them. This was the classic tactic used by Hannibal at Cannae almost a century and a half previous. Hirtuleius lost 20,000 men at Italica and fled north to join his commander Sertorius who was squaring off against Pompey.


Sucro and Saguntum

Metellus came to the aid of Pompey after his near defeat at Sucro. They then followed Sertorius inland to a town called Segontia and finally won a
battle A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
against Sertorius himself. Metellus was acclaimed '' imperator'' by his men. Plutarch remarks that this battle was forced upon Sertorius.
Plutarch Plutarch (; grc-gre, Πλούταρχος, ''Ploútarchos''; ; – after AD 119) was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi. He is known primarily for his ''P ...
, ''Life of Sertorius'', 21.
This was probably done by his Celt-Iberian troops who wanted to defend Segontia, one of their native towns. The fighting started at noon and lasted well into the night. Sertorius first fought Pompey while his legates Perpenna and Hirtuleius fought Metellus. After Hirtuleius had fallen Sertorius switched places with Perpenna and launched several personally-led attacks on Metellus. (Sertorius probably reckoned Metellus' army would break without its leader.) Metellus stood his ground and in the course of the fight he was wounded by a spear. This turned out to be a turning point in the battle, for Metellus' men counter-attacked in revenge and pushed back the Iberians. Metellus then complacently decided to rest his troops and made camp. Sertorius in the meantime had regrouped his men and in the evening launched an unexpected attack on Metellus' camp, and attempted to exploit its vulnerable position by cutting it off with a trench. Unfortunately for the Sertorians, Pompey and his army now showed up and forced them to withdraw. Over the course of the battle Pompey had lost 6,000 men while Sertorius had lost only 3,000, but to offset this Perperna had lost some 5,000 soldiers. Metellus' losses are unknown, but must have been significant as well.


The final years

Metellus Pius spent the winter of 75–74 BC in Gaul, where he received two legions in reinforcements. Upon his return to Spain in 74 BC, he captured the towns of Bilbilis and
Segobriga Segóbriga was an important Celtic and Roman city, and is today an impressive site located on a hill (cerro Cabeza de Griego) near the present town of Saelices. Research has revealed remains of important buildings, which have since been preserved ...
, before joining Pompey at the siege of
Calagurris Calahorra [] ( an, Calagorra, la, Calagurris) is a municipality in the comarca of Rioja Baja, near the border with Navarre on the right bank of the Ebro. During Ancient Rome, Ancient Roman times, Calahorra was a municipium known as ''Calagurris ...
. They were forced to raise the siege when Sertorius approached, after which Pius returned to Gaul. He then offered a reward of 100 silver talents and 20,000 acres of land to any Roman who would betray Sertorius.John Leach, ''Pompey the Great'', p. 51. This resulted in Sertorius no longer trusting his Roman bodyguard and exchanged it for a Spanish one. Continued successes during 73 BC saw him ease up and allow Pompey to take the burden of the final phases of the war, with Sertorius' murder in 72 BC. He imposed new taxes in Hispania Ulterior after the end of Sertorius' rebellion. Pius' governorship ended in 71 BC with the end of the war. He disbanded his army after crossing the
Alps The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...
, and celebrated a
triumph The Roman triumph (Latin triumphus) was a celebration for a victorious military commander in ancient Rome. For later imitations, in life or in art, see Trionfo. Numerous later uses of the term, up to the present, are derived directly or indirectl ...
together with Pompey on December 30, 71 BC. Regardless of the triumph, during those eight years of resistance he was unable to conclusively defeat Sertorius, and it was only after Sertorius' assassination by his own men that the rebels were forced to cede to the military ability of Metellus Pius.


Later career

Regardless of his working relationship with Pompey in Spain, Metellus Pius' politics meant that he was opposed to Pompey's continued irregular extra-magisterial career throughout the 60s BC. Though Pompey was largely untouchable, senatorial resentment could be visited upon his clients and (former) subordinates. When the former
plebeian tribune Tribune of the plebs, tribune of the people or plebeian tribune ( la, tribunus plebis) was the first office of the Roman state that was open to the plebeians, and was, throughout the history of the Republic, the most important check on the power o ...
and associate of Pompey, Gaius Cornelius, was accused of '' maiestas'', the prosecution called on as witnesses a number of key anti-Pompeian former consuls, including Metellus Pius. Metellus Pius was a friend and patron of the noted poet
Aulus Licinius Archias Aulus Licinius Archias ( grc-gre, Ἀρχίας; fl. c. 120 – 61 BC) was a Greco-Syrian poet. Life He was born in Antioch, Syria (modern Antakya, Turkey). He studied at his native city, and received a liberal education. During his schoo ...
.Gruen, p. 267 Pius died around 63 BC, the year that
Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...
replaced him as Pontifex Maximus.


Family relations

Quintus Caecilius had no natural children. Therefore by his will he adopted a member of the
patrician Patrician may refer to: * Patrician (ancient Rome), the original aristocratic families of ancient Rome, and a synonym for "aristocratic" in modern English usage * Patrician (post-Roman Europe), the governing elites of cities in parts of medieval ...
family Cornelia, son of Publius Cornelius Scipio Nasica, and maternal grandson of
Lucius Licinius Crassus Lucius Licinius Crassus (140–91 BC) was a Roman orator and statesman. He was considered the greatest orator of his day, most notably by his pupil Cicero. Crassus is also famous as one of the main characters in Cicero's work '' De Oratore'', a d ...
, great-grandson of Quintus Mucius Scaevola Augur and great-great-grandson of Gaius Laelius Sapiens. On the paternal side this nobleman was the great grandson of Metellus Macedonicus and thus was a third cousin of his adoptive father. At the time of his adoption the new Caecilius was a grown man, but he had not yet shown himself in any way. He received name
Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio Nasica Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio (c. 95 – 46 BC), often referred to as Metellus Scipio, was a Roman senator and military commander. During the civil war between Julius Caesar and the senatorial faction led by Pompey, he was a staunch supp ...
and further became the consul of 52 BC and father-in-law of Gnaeus Pompey the Great.


In fiction

Metellus Pius is a prominent character in the novels ''The First Man in Rome'', ''The Grass Crown'' and ''Fortune's Favorites'' by
Colleen McCullough Colleen Margaretta McCullough (; married name Robinson, previously Ion-Robinson; 1 June 193729 January 2015) was an Australian author known for her novels, her most well-known being '' The Thorn Birds'' and ''The Ladies of Missalonghi''. Life ...
. In the novels he is characterised as having a stutter, and is referred to by contemporaries, including Sulla, as "the Piglet". He is also mentioned in
John Maddox Roberts John Maddox Roberts is an American author of science fiction, fantasy, and historical fiction including the ''SPQR'' series and '' Hannibal's Children''. Personal life John Maddox Roberts was born in Ohio and was raised in Texas, California, a ...
' ''SPQR'' series as the fictional main character Decius Caecilius Metellus' uncle.


Notes


References

* Brennan, T. Corey, ''The Praetorship in the Roman Republic'', Vol. 2 (2000) * Broughton, T. Robert S., ''The Magistrates of the Roman Republic, Vol II'' (1952) * Broughton, T. Robert S., ''The Magistrates of the Roman Republic, Vol III'' (1986) * Gruen, Erich S., ''The Last Generation of the Roman Republic'' (1995) * * Lovano, Michael, ''The Age of Cinna: Crucible of Late Republican Rome'' (2002) * * Smith, William, ''Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology'', Vol II (1867) * Matyszak, Philip, ''Sertorius and the Struggle of Spain'' (2013) {{DEFAULTSORT:Caecilius Metellus Pius, Quintus 120s BC births 63 BC deaths 2nd-century BC Romans 1st-century BC clergy 1st-century BC Roman consuls 1st-century BC Roman generals 1st-century BC Roman praetors Pius, Quintus Optimates Pontifices maximi of the Roman Republic Roman governors of Africa Roman governors of Hispania Roman legates Supporters of Sulla Year of birth uncertain