Gaius Caecilius Metellus Caprarius facts for kids

Gaius Caecilius Metellus Caprarius was an important Roman leader. He was born around 160 BC. He served as a consul in 113 BC. This was a very high position in the Roman Republic. He also fought as a soldier under Scipio Aemilianus in Numantia around 133 BC. Later, he became a praetor in 117 BC.

Caprarius was a proconsul in Thrace from 112 to 111 BC. His success there earned him a special celebration called a triumph. In 102 BC, he became a censor with his cousin, Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus.

The Powerful Metellus Family

The Caecilii Metelli were a very famous and powerful family in the late Roman Republic. They were known as conservative aristocrats. This means they liked to keep old traditions and rules. Even though they were powerful, they belonged to the plebeian gens Caecilia. This was a group of common Roman citizens, not the noble patricians.

Caprarius's Father: Macedonicus

Caprarius was the youngest son of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus. His father was a praetor in 148 BC and a consul in 143 BC. Macedonicus was given command in Macedonia. There, he defeated a man named Andriscus who pretended to be king. For this victory, his father received a triumph. He also got the special name 'Macedonicus'. He was a censor in 131 BC. Like his family, Macedonicus was a conservative leader. He did not agree with Tiberius Gracchus and Gaius Gracchus. These brothers tried to get power from the people, often going against the Senate.

Denarius coin made by Caprarius in 125 BC.

Caprarius's Brothers

Caprarius had several brothers who also became important.

• His oldest brother was Quintus Caecilius Metellus Balearicus. He was sent to Thessaly to get grain around 130 BC. He became a praetor by 126 BC and a consul in 123 BC. Balearicus was sent to fight pirates living in the Balearic Islands. He won this fight and celebrated a triumph in 121 BC. He also received the name 'Balearicus'. He was a censor in 120 BC.
• His second brother was Lucius Caecilius Metellus Diadematus. He got the name 'Diadematus' because he wore a bandage on a head injury. He was a consul in 117 BC. He helped improve roads and other buildings in Italy. Like his father, he was a conservative leader. He probably did not support Gaius Gracchus.
• The third brother was Marcus Caecilius Metellus. He was in charge of making coins in 127 BC. He became a praetor by 118 BC and a consul in 115 BC. Marcus was given command in Corsica and Sardinia from 114 BC to 111 BC. He also celebrated a triumph for his victories there.

Caprarius's Children

Caprarius had three sons and one daughter.

• One son was Quintus Caecilius Metellus Creticus. He was a praetor in 74 BC and a consul in 69 BC. He was also a pontifex, a type of priest, from 73 BC until he died. Creticus was sent to fight on the island of Crete. Crete was helping Mithridates and had many pirates. He defeated the island and celebrated a triumph in 62 BC. He then received the name 'Creticus'.
• Another son was Lucius Caecilius Metellus. He was a praetor in 71 BC. He became governor of Sicily in 70 BC, taking over from Gaius Verres. He died while serving as consul in 68 BC.
• Caprarius's third son was Marcus Caecilius Metellus. He was a praetor in 69 BC. He was also the president of a court that dealt with unfair money demands.
• Caprarius's daughter, Caecilia Metella, was married to Gaius Verres. Verres was the governor of Sicily from 73 BC to 71 BC. He was later put on trial.

Role as a Censor

Caprarius served as a censor in 102 BC with his cousin, Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus. The censors had an important job. They kept track of the list of members in the Senate. They could remove people from the Senate if needed. The position of censor was not held every year, unlike other roles like consul.

Numidicus was the son of Lucius Caecilius Metellus Calvus. He was possibly in charge of making coins in 117 or 116 BC. He became a praetor by 112 BC and a consul in 109 BC.

Political Conflicts

Both Caprarius and Numidicus were conservative aristocrats. This was typical for their family. During their time as censors, Numidicus tried to remove Lucius Appuleius Saturninus and Gaius Servilius Glaucia from the Senate. He was not successful.

Saturninus was a "popularis." This meant he was a politician who got his power from the common people. He was a plebeian. He was removed from his position as quaestor around 105 or 104 BC because he was against the Senate. He suggested a law to lower grain prices, which Glaucia supported.

Glaucia came from a noble patrician family. But like Saturninus, he was a popularis. Both had the support of Gaius Marius, a famous Roman general. Glaucia worked with Saturninus against the Senate. They were both tribunes in 101 BC and Glaucia was a praetor in 100 BC.

Glaucia and Saturninus planned for Glaucia to become consul and Saturninus to become tribune in 99 BC. They used violence to try and reach their goal. Saturninus caused the death of Glaucia's opponent for the consulship. The Senate asked Marius to act. Glaucia and Saturninus were held in the Curia. They later died because of an angry crowd.

To get back at Numidicus for trying to remove him from the Senate, Saturninus tried to make Numidicus swear to a law. This law would give land to Marius's soldiers. Numidicus refused and went away from Rome. Caprarius worked hard to help Numidicus return to Rome in 99 BC.

See also

In Spanish: Cayo Cecilio Metelo Caprario para niños

• Caecilia gens

Sources

• Broughton, T. Robert. Magistrates of the Roman Republic Vol. 1. New York: American Philological Association. 1951. 535.
• Broughton, T. Robert. Magistrates of the Roman Republic Vol. 2. New York: American Philological Association. 1952. 71, 122, 137.
• Salazar, Christine F. Brill's New Pauly: Encyclopedia of the Ancient World Vol 1. Boston: Brill Leiden. 2003. 903.
• Salazar, Christine F. Brill's New Pauly: Encyclopedia of the Ancient World Vol 2. Boston: Brill Leiden. 2003. 874–879.
• Salazar, Christine F. Brill's New Pauly: Encyclopedia of the Ancient World Vol 13. Boston: Brill Leiden. 2003. 903.