Lucius Gellius Poplicola or Publicola ( 43–31 BC) was a Roman senator who led a checkered political career during the civil wars of the late

Republic A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...

. Initially a supporter of

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 ...

's assassins, Brutus and Cassius, he defected to the

Second Triumvirate The Second Triumvirate was an extraordinary commission and magistracy created for Mark Antony, Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, and Octavian to give them practically absolute power. It was formally constituted by law on 27 November 43 BC with a ...

and was later rewarded with a consulship, in 36 BC. Gellius fought for

Mark Antony Marcus Antonius (14 January 1 August 30 BC), commonly known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general who played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic from a constitutional republic into the autoc ...

against Octavian at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC, after which he disappears from history.

Biography

Lucius Gellius is apparently mentioned in a letter by Lucius Munatius Plancus to

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 ...

, where he is praised as a good republican who had intermediated between Plancus and

Lepidus Marcus Aemilius Lepidus (; c. 89 BC – late 13 or early 12 BC) was a Roman general and statesman who formed the Second Triumvirate alongside Octavian and Mark Antony during the final years of the Roman Republic. Lepidus had previously bee ...

. After the republican party collapsed in Italy following the

war of Mutina The War of Mutina (December 44 – April 43 BC; also called the Mutina war) was a civil war between the Roman Senate and Mark Antony in northern Italy. It was the first civil war after the assassination of Julius Caesar. The main issue of th ...

, Gellius fled east to join

's assassins, Brutus and Cassius. Here he was detected plotting to take the life of Brutus but was pardoned at the intercession of his brother, Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus. Shortly afterwards he entered into a conspiracy to kill Cassius, but again escaped unpunished through the intercession of his mother Palla. Gellius, however, showed no gratitude for the leniency which had been shown him. Rather, he change sides and joined the triumvirs, Octavian and

. While serving under Antony in the east c. 41 BC he had coins struck, on which he appears with the title of ''Q. P.'', probably ''

Quaestor A ( , , ; "investigator") was a public official in Ancient Rome. There were various types of quaestors, with the title used to describe greatly different offices at different times. In the Roman Republic, quaestors were elected officials who ...

'' '' Propraetore''. He was rewarded for his treachery with the consulship in 36 BC. In the war between Octavian and Antony, he supported Antony, and commanded the right wing of Antony's fleet at the Battle of Actium. As he is not mentioned again in any known historical texts, it can be assumed that he most likely perished in the battle or in the war.

Family

Lucius Gellius Poplicola is identified in the sources as a brother of Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus, and their mother was called Palla. Münzer and Evans supposed that they were half-brothers, and identified Gellius Poplicola's father as

Lucius Gellius Lucius Gellius (c. 136 BC''Oxford Classical Dictionary'',Gellius, Lucius – c. 54 BC) was a Roman politician and general who was one of two Roman Consul, Consuls of the Roman Republic, Republic in 72 BC along with Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus Clodi ...

, consul in 72 BC. Badian preferred to see them as full brothers, sons of a Valerius Messalla who, in keeping with a trend of the time, gave distinguished ancestral surnames (Poplicola and Corvinus) of the Valerii to both his sons. Gellius Poplicola will then have been adopted by Lucius Gellius, consul of 72 BC, explaining his distinct name. Gellius Poplicola married one Sempronia, sister of Lucius Atratinus.

Endnotes

References

* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gellius Poplicola, Lucius 1st-century BC births 31 BC deaths 1st-century BC Roman consuls Ancient Roman adoptees Ancient Romans killed in action Poplicola, Lucius Recipients of ancient Roman pardons Valerii Messallae Year of birth unknown