Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus facts for kids

Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus (born around 155 BC – died 91 BC) was an important Roman leader and general. He was a main figure of the Optimates, a group of conservative senators in ancient Rome. He was a strong political rival of Gaius Marius. In 109 BC, he became a consul, which was one of the highest positions in Rome. As consul, he led the Roman army in Africa during the Jugurthine War. In 107 BC, Marius took over his command. When Metellus returned to Rome, he was honored with a special parade called a triumph and given the nickname "Numidicus." He later became a censor, a public official who kept track of citizens and their property. He chose to go into exile rather than oppose Marius. Metellus Numidicus was known for being honest and fair, which was rare in Roman politics at that time.

Early Life and Career Steps

Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus was the son of Lucius Caecilius Metellus Calvus. When he was young, he went to Athens, a famous city for learning. There, he studied with Carneades, a well-known philosopher and a great speaker. Because of this, Metellus became very educated and skilled at public speaking.

He followed a path of public service called the cursus honorum, which was a series of government jobs in ancient Rome.

• In 126 BC, he was a quaestor, which was like a financial officer.
• In 121 BC, he became a tribune of the plebs, a representative of the common people.
• In 118 BC, he was an aedile, responsible for public buildings and games.
• In 115 BC, he became a praetor, a high-ranking judge or magistrate.
• In 114 BC, he was the Governor of Sicily.
• Finally, in 109 BC, he was elected consul, one of the two most powerful leaders in Rome.

After being governor of Sicily, some people accused him of taking money unfairly. However, the judges were so sure of his good character that they didn't even investigate the case and dismissed it. Metellus was also very generous in supporting artists, like his friend, the poet Archias. The famous Roman speaker Cicero often praised Metellus's speaking abilities.

Leading the Jugurthine War

When Metellus was consul in 109 BC, he took charge of the war in Numidia (a kingdom in North Africa) against King Jugurtha. The war was long and difficult, as the Romans struggled to defeat Jugurtha decisively. Metellus won one important battle against Jugurtha at the Battle of the Muthul.

Metellus stayed in Numidia for another year (108 BC) to continue the fight, laying siege to places where Jugurtha's forces were hiding. His second-in-command, Gaius Marius, wanted to take over the war. Marius spread rumors that Metellus was purposely making the war last longer to keep his command. Marius then went back to Rome to run for consul for the year 107 BC.

Marius won the election and returned to Numidia to take control of the war. When Metellus came back to Rome, he was surprised by how much support and praise he received from some senators and people who did not like Marius. He celebrated a grand triumph, a parade to honor a military victory. He also earned the special name "Numidicus" because of his success in Numidia, which annoyed Marius.

Political Rivalry with Marius

Metellus Numidicus became a main leader of the aristocratic faction, a group of conservative senators who wanted to keep power in the hands of the noble families. He strongly opposed the fast rise of Gaius Marius, who was a populist leader favored by the common people. Marius became popular because he ended the war in Numidia by capturing and killing Jugurtha, thanks to a clever plan by Sulla.

Marius made big changes to the Roman Army, allowing Romans who didn't own land to join. These soldiers were often very loyal to their general, not just to Rome. This was a huge turning point in Roman history, and Metellus's conservative group strongly opposed these reforms.

In 102 BC, Metellus Numidicus was elected censor along with his cousin Gaius Caecilius Metellus Caprarius. As censor, he tried to remove Marius's ally, Lucius Appuleius Saturninus, from the Senate, but he was not successful.

Later, Saturninus got his revenge. When he became a tribune of the plebs, he and Marius proposed a new law about giving land to Roman soldiers who had served in the army. This law included a special rule: every senator had to swear an oath to support the law, or they would be kicked out of the Senate and pay a large fine.

At first, Marius said he would never take the oath, and Metellus agreed with him. However, Marius and all the other senators eventually took the oath, except for Metellus. Rather than swear to a law he disagreed with, Metellus Numidicus gave up his Senate seat and paid the fine. After leaving the Forum, he told his friends:

• "To do harm is proper of the evil spirits; to do good without taking risks is proper of the ordinary spirits; the man of heart never ever deflects from what is fair and honest, never looking to rewards or to threats."

Exile and Return

The tribune Saturninus then proposed a law to send Metellus Numidicus into exile. Instead of facing a fight between Saturninus's supporters and his own, who were ready to defend him by force, Metellus chose to leave Rome voluntarily. He spent a year in Rhodes, an island known for its learning. He was joined in exile by a teacher named Lucius Aelius Praeconinus or Stilo, and he continued to study philosophy there.

After Saturninus died and Marius's popular party faced some setbacks, a new tribune named Quintus Calidius suggested that Metellus should be allowed to return to Rome in 99 BC. Metellus's son, Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius, worked very hard to support Calidius's idea. Because of his loyal efforts, his son earned the nickname Pius, meaning "dutiful" or "pious." The proposal passed, and Metellus returned to Rome. He lived the rest of his life quietly in his homes on the Palatine Hill and the Via Tiburtina, not getting involved much in public affairs.

Quotes by Metellus

• "To do harm is proper of the evil spirits; to do good without taking risks is proper of the ordinary spirits; the man of heart never ever deflects from what is fair and honest, never looking to rewards or to threats."

See also

• Caecilia gens