Quintus Caecilius Metellus Celer (consul)

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Quintus Caecilius Metellus Celer [1] (before 103 BC or c. 100 BC – 59 BC) was a Consul in 60 BC and son of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Nepos, or according to some of people's tribune Quintus Caecilius Metellus Celer and he the son of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Nepos. Previously he held the offices of Legate in 66 BC, Praetor in 63 BC and Proconsul of Cisalpine Gaul in 62 BC[2] augur,[3]. Celer was once sent to Picenum and Gaul in order to gather the troops against Catilina. Celer blocked the mountain gates and impeded Catilina to pass through Apennines to Gaul.[4] Originally serving in Pompeius' army, Celer then came into conflict with him and was imprisoned. Celer was married to Clodia Maior and probably had a daughter, Caecilia Metella.

He was a Lieutenant of Cnaeus Pompeius Magnus at the Army of Asia and defeated Orosius, King of Albania. He was then charged with occupying the Picene (today North Picene and South Picene) and the Senones and sent to Cisalpine Gaul as Proconsul.

He died suddenly in 59 BC, according to some poisoned by his wife and cousin Clodia Maior Quadrantaria - daughter of Appius Claudius Pulcher and wife Caecilia Metella - notorious debauched, lover of her brother Clodius, of Caelius, possibly of the great lyric Poet Catullus (who chanted her as Lesbia) and many others.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Cognomen dued to the celerity with which he treated of his father's funerals. (Cfr. F. Noel, in Dictionaire Historique ...)
  2. ^ Cic. Fam. V 1—2
  3. ^ Dio XXXVII 23, 3
  4. ^ Cic. Fam. V 2, 1; Cat. I 19; II 5—6; Sull. 65; Sall. Cat. 30, 5; 42, 3; 57, 2; Val. Max. VII 7, 7; Plut. Cic. 16, 1; Dio XXXVII 27, 3; 32, 2
Preceded by
Marcus Pupius Piso Frugi Calpurnianus, Marcus Valerius Messalla Niger		 Consul
60 BC, with Lucius Afranius		 Succeeded by
Julius Caesar, Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus

[edit] Further reading

  • T.P. Wiseman. Celer and Nepos // Classical Quarterly. 1971, vol. 1., p. 180—182
  • Manuel Dejante Pinto de Magalhães Arnao Metello and João Carlos Metello de Nápoles, "Metellos de Portugal, Brasil e Roma", Torres Novas, 1998