Marcus Cornelius Cethegus

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Marcus Cornelius Cethegus, pontifex maximus and curule aedile, 213 BC.

In 211 BC, as praetor, he had charge of Apulia; later, he was sent to Sicily, where he proved a successful administrator. In 209 BC he was censor, and in 204 BC consul. In 203 BC he was proconsul in Italia Superior, where, in conjunction with the praetor Publius Quintilius Varus, he gained a hard-won victory over Mago Barca, Hannibal's brother, in Insubrian territory, and obliged him to leave Italy. He died in 196 BC. He had a great reputation as an orator, and is characterized by Ennius as the quintessence of persuasiveness (suadae medulla). Horace (Ars Poet. 50; Epistles, ii.2.117) calls him an authority on the use of Latin words.

Other ancient sources: Livy xxv.2, 41, xxvii.II, xxix.ii, xxx.18.

Preceded by Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus and Publius Licinius Crassus Dives

Consul of the Roman Republic with Publius Sempronius Tuditanus 204 BC

Succeeded by Gnaeus Servilius Caepio and Gaius Servilius Geminus