Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius

accordance with the Lex Plautia Papiria.[7] Once this was

completed, Metellus Pius was again posted to the Social
War, replacing Gaius Cosconius on the southern front.
He harassed the territory around Apulia, captured the
town of Venusia, and defeated the leading Italian leader,
Quintus Poppaedius Silo, who died in the storming of
Venusia.[8][9]

Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius (c. 130 BC 63

BC) was a pro-Sullan politician and general who was
Roman consul in 80 BC. He was the principal Senatorial commander during the Sertorian War, ghting alongside Pompeius Magnus. He was given the agnomen (nickname) Pius because of his constant and unbending attempts to have his father ocially recalled from exile.[1]

In 87 BC, Metellus Pius command was extended, with

his appointment as Propraetor, responsible for continuing the war against Samnium. Later that year, however,
saw a dispute between the two consuls Lucius Cornelius
Cinna and Gnaeus Octavius are up into war. Cinna, expelled from Rome, met up with the exiled Gaius Marius,
and both laid siege to Rome. During the early phase of
this conict, the Senate, fearing that they may need additional troops and commanders, ordered Metellus Pius to
negotiate a peace with the Samnites.[10]

Early career

Marching to Rome, he made camp at the Alban Hills, 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.[11] However, with Cinnas occupation of Rome
and the executions initiated by Gaius Marius, Metellus Pius decided to abandon Rome and head to North
Africa.[12]

Coin of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius

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 as his contubernalis (cadet) during the
Jugurthine War, returning to Rome in 107 BC, when his
father was forcibly recalled by the actions of Gaius Marius.[2] 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 eect, and his constant pleading on the subject resulted in Quintus Calidius, the Plebeian Tribune of 98 BC passing a law which
allowed his father to return.[3] As a result of his delity,
he was given the agnomen Pius for the constancy and
inexibility with which he fought for his fathers political
rehabilitation and return to Rome.

2 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, who had been the principal opponent of Cinna and Marius.[13] He was joined
by Marcus Licinius Crassus, but both men fell out, and
Crassus was forced to leave and eventually join up with
Sulla in Greece.[14] He acted as proconsular governor of
the province, but this was unrecognized by Cinna and his
regime at Rome.[15] Nevertheless, it wasnt until 84 BC
that the Marians at Rome were able to send out their own
governor, Gaius Fabius Hadrianus.[16] Upon his arrival,
he drove out Metellus Pius who ed to Numidia; pursued
here, he and the Numidian king Hiempsal II were forced
to ee onwards to Mauretania.[17] From here, Metellus
Pius made his way to Liguria by late 84 BC or early 83
BC.[18]

Sometime during 90s BC, Metellus Pius was elected to

the College of Pontis as a result of his familys eminence and inuence.[4] The outbreak of the Social War
saw him employed as a legate in late 89 BC, probably
of the consul Pompeius Strabo, where he won some battles against the Marsi.[5] As a result of these victories,
he was elected Praetor in the following year (88 BC).[6]
During his praetorship, he was tasked with enrolling the
Italian allies as new Roman citizens within sixty days, in
1

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
rst to meet him along the Via Appia, 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 rst march on
Rome.[19] Regardless, recognizing Metellus as possessing proconsular imperium, Sulla made him his principal
subordinate.[20] By July 83 BC, the Senate, under the direction of the consul Gnaeus Papirius Carbo, declared
Metellus Pius a public enemy.[21]

SERTORIAN WAR

Sometime during his consulship, Quintus Sertorius, an

opponent of Sulla, established himself in Spain and
began a rebellion against the Senate. After defeating the governor of Hispania Ulterior, the Senate decided to send Metellus Pius once his term as consul
had ended. Upgrading Hispania Ulterior to a consular
province, they dispatched Metellus Pius to take charge
of the war against Sertorius.[28] Facing Sertorius and
Marcus Perpenna Vento, Metellus Pius established his
bases at Metellinum (today Medelln) Castra Caecilia (today Cceres), Viccus Caecilius, at the Sierra de Gredos,
and at Caeciliana, near Setbal.[29]

In 82 BC, he was sent by Sulla to secure the northern parts

of Italy, and accompanied by the young Gnaeus Pompeius, Metellus Pius attacked and defeated Gaius Carrinas at Picenum. He then achieved a victory over Papirius Carbo and Gaius Norbanus at Faventia, pacifying
Cisalpine Gaul for Sulla.[22] With Sullas 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.[23] He was
also a Monetalis from 82 BC to 80 BC.[24]

From the start, it was clear that Metellus Pius was

no match for Sertorius,[30] suering repeated defeats
through Sertorius use of guerrilla tactics. His legate Thorius, dispatched to come to the assistance of the governor
of Hispania Citerior, Marcus Domitus Calvinus, was defeated by Sertorius (79 BC).[31] After his unsuccessful
push towards the Tagus in 79 BC, and suering a defeat
by Sertorius at Lacobriga in 78 BC, Pius was forced to ask
for help from the governor of Gallia Transalpina, but he
was defeated by Sertorius legate and unable to help.[32]
Pius was pushed out
During this entire period, he was shown to be one of The end result was that an exhausted [33]
of
his
province
of
Hispania
Ulterior.
Sullas best subordinates. A traditionalist supporter of
the Senates prerogatives, he had no other objective apart When the consuls of 78 BC declined the opportunity to
from ghting the populism of Marius and Cinna, and did join Metellus Pius as proconsuls in Spain once their terms
not participate in the atrocious violence that marked the ended, the Senate in late 77 BC, hearing of Pius ongoarrival of the dictatorship of Sulla. Finally in 80 BC, ing reverses at the hands of Sertorius, decided to send
he was appointed consul alongside Sulla,[25][26] Metellus Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus together with another army
Pius used his position to reward Quintus Calidius, who to give Pius what assistance he could, while Pius govhad helped bring his father back, by supporting his bid ernorship was prorogued.[34] Both men worked well tofor the praetorship.[27]
gether, but were hard pressed to win any encounter with
Sertorius.[35] With Pompeys arrival in 76 BC, Sertorius
turned his attention to him, freeing Metellus Pius to campaign against Sertorius subordinates.

Sertorian War

Almost immediately this paid dividends; in 76 BC he defeated Hirtuleius, Sertorius quaestor, at Italica.[36] This
was followed by another victory over Hirtuleius at Segovia
in 75 BC, where Hirtuleius died.[37] Metellius Pius then
came to the aid of Pompey after his defeat at Sucro (he
had refused to wait for Pius before engaging Sertorius in
battle), before both men nally won a battle against Sertorius at Saguntum. Pius was acclaimed imperator by his
men.[38]

Spending the winter in Gaul, Metellus Pius returned

to Spain in 74 BC. He captured the towns of Bilbilis
and Segobriga, before joining Pompey at the siege of
Calagurris. They were forced to raise the siege when Sertorius approached, after which Pius returned to Gaul.[39]
Continued successes during 73 BC saw him ease up and
allow Pompey to take the burden of the nal phases of
the war, with Sertorius murder in 72 BC. He imposed
new taxes in Hispania Ulterior after the end of Sertorius
rebellion.[40] Pius governorship ended in 71 BC with the
end of the war. He disbanded his army after crossing
Quintus Metellus from Guillaume Rouill's Promptuarii Iconum the Alps, and celebrated a triumph together with Pompey

Insigniorum

3
on December 30, 71 BC.[41] 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.[42]

Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio

8 Notes
[1] Cic. P. Red. 37; Ad Quir. 6; Arch. 6; Vell. II 15, 3

Later career

[2] Sall. Iug. 64, 4; Plut. Mar. 8, 4

[3] Broughton II, pg. 5

Regardless of his working relationship with Pompey in

Spain, Metellus Pius politics meant that he was opposed
to Pompeys 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 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.[43]

[4] Broughton II, pg. 37

[5] Brennan, pg. 377
[6] Brennan, pg. 378; Broughton III, pg. 41
[7] Brennan, pgs. 377-378
[8] Broughton II, pg. 42; Brennan, pg. 378
[9] Diod. XXXVII 2, 911; App. BC I 53; Auc. Vir. Ill.
63, 1

Metellus Pius was a friend and patron of the noted poet [10] Broughton II, pg. 47
Aulus Licinius Archias.[44] Pius died around 63 BC, the
year that Julius Caesar replaced him as Pontifex Max- [11] Lovano, pg. 44; Broughton II, pg. 47
imus.
[12] Brennan, pg. 379; Broughton II, pg. 47
[13] Lovano, pg. 71

Family relations

He married Licinia Crassa Secunda or Minor, daughter

of Lucius Licinius Crassus Orator, and wife Mucia Secunda, from whom he had no children. For this reason
he adopted his nephew by marriage and son of his second cousin Publius Cornelius Scipio, renamed Quintus
Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio Nasica. He was the son
of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Piuss wifes sister Licinia
Crassa Prima or Major and Publius Cornelius Scipio Nasica Serapio, who was in turn the son of Publius Cornelius
Scipio Nasica Serapio and Caecilia Metella, daughter of
Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus.

[14] Lovano, pg. 115; Brennan, pg. 543

[15] Broughton II, pg. 55
[16] Broughton II, pg. 60
[17] Lovano, pg. 95
[18] Broughton II, pg. 61
[19] Gruen, pgs. 7 & 18
[20] Brennan, pg. 381; Lovano, pg. 115
[21] Lovano, pg. 120
[22] Broughton II, pg. 68
[23] Broughton II, pg. 78

In ction

[24] Broughton III, pgs. 40-41

[25] Broughton II, pg. 79

Metellus Pius is a prominent character in the novels The

First Man in Rome, The Grass Crown and Fortunes Fa- [26] Cic. Arch. 67, 9, 31
vorites by Colleen McCullough. In the novels he is char- [27] Smith, pg. 1060
acterised as having a stutter, and is referred to by contem[28] Broughton II, pg. 84; Brennan, pg. 506
poraries, including Sulla, as the Piglet.
He is also mentioned in John Maddox Roberts' SPQR
series as the ctional main character Decius Caecilius
Metellus' uncle.

[29] Broughton II, pg. 82

[30] Gruen, pg. 18
[31] Brennan, pg. 506; Broughton II, pg. 84

See also
Caecilia (gens)

[32] Broughton II, pgs. 82 & 86; Brennan, pg. 506

[33] Brennan, pg. 512
[34] Gruen, pgs. 18-19

10 FURTHER READING

[35] Gruen, pg. 19

[36] Broughton II, pg. 93
[37] Broughton II, pg. 98
[38] Brennan, pg. 508; Broughton II, pg. 98
[39] Broughton II, pg. 104; Brennan, pg. 508
[40] Matthew Dillon, Lynda Garland, Ancient Rome: From
the Early Republic to the Assassination of Julius Caesar
(2005), pg. 92
[41] Broughton II, pg. 122; Smith, pg. 1060
[42] Sallust Hist. I 110121; II 28, 59, 6870; III 45 M;
IV 49 M; Liv. Per. 9193; Strabo III 4, 13; Valerius
Maximus VIII 15, 8; IX 1, 5; Vell. II 30, 2; Plut. Sert.
1213; 1922; 27; Pomp. 1819; App. BC I 108
112, 115, 121; Ib. 101; Auc. Vir. Ill. 63, 2; Florus II 10;
Eutrop. VI 1, 3; 5, 2; Oros. V 23; Frontinus Stratagemata
I 1, 12; II 1, 234 3, 5; 7, 5
[43] Gruen, pgs. 262-265
[44] Gruen, pg. 267

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)

10

Further reading

Manuel Dejante Pinto de Magalhes Arnao Metello

and Joo Carlos Metello de Npoles, Metellos de
Portugal, Brasil e Roma, Torres Novas, 1998

11
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