Quintus Pedius

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This article is about a Roman general and (great) nephew of Julius Caesar. For the deaf painter, see Quintus Pedius (deaf painter).

Quintus Pedius (? - late 43 BC) was a Roman that lived during the late Roman Republic. Pedius was the son of a Marcus or Quintus Pedius and nephew or great nephew of the Roman dictator Julius Caesar.

Pedius in 57 BC served as a general during Caesar’s conquest for Gaul. In 55 BC, he lost an election for the office of aedile.

During the Roman Civil War, between Caesar and Pompey in 49 BC, Pedius allied himself with Caesar. In 48 BC, Pedius was promoted to the praetorship in Rome and in that year he killed Titus Annius Milo. In early 45 BC, served as a legatus against Sextus Pompeius in Spain. Pedius claimed victory against Sextus Pompeius and returned to Rome with Caesar. Caesar honored him with a triumph parade and gave him the title of proconsul.

Caesar was assassinated in Rome of March 44 BC. In Caesar’s will, Pedius was named as one of his heirs. Like his cousin Lucius Pinarius, he was to receive one eighth of Caesar’s legacy, but he renounced the inheritance in favor of Caesar’s main heir, Pedius’ cousin Octavian (future Roman Emperor Augustus). In August 43 BC, Octavian with Pedius were elected as consuls after marching on Rome with an army.

During the consulship, Pedius created a law called the Lex Pedia or Pedian Law, which punished all the murderers of Caesar or those who called for Caesar’s death. Pedius was left in charge of Rome, while his consul cousin left for Northern Italy to join Mark Antony and Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, in forming the Second Triumvirate.

The senate approved of his law. Not so long afterwards at Bononia, the Second Triumvirate was formed. When news reached Rome of the new power pact between Octavian, Antony and Lepidus and their lists of people whom they would put to death, Pedius became very concerned. Pedius was unable to stop the events from occurring and recommended only seventeen people to be put to death. Out of concern, he pledged to protect the citizens of Rome. Not so long after, Pedius had suffered so much political fatigue he died.

Pedius married a Roman noblewoman called Valeria, who was related (perhaps a sister) to the Roman consul, senator and orator Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus. Pedius and Valeria had at least one child, a son named Quintus Pedius Publicola. Publicola became a Roman senator, who distinguished himself with his oratory.

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Preceded by
Aulus Hirtius and Gaius Vibius Pansa Caetronianus		 Consul (Suffect.) of the Roman Republic
Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus
43 BC		 Succeeded by
Marcus Aemilius Lepidus and Lucius Munatius Plancus