M. Aemilius Scaurus 141

vol. I p.588-590

141) M. Aemilius M. f. M. n. Scaurus

Son of M. Scaurus Princeps senatus and of Caecilia Metella, therefore a step-son of Sulla (Ascon. p. 16. Plin. n. h. XXXVI 113. 116. XXXVII 11), grandson of L. Metellus (Cic. p. Scaur. 46). As a young man, he charged Cn. Dolabella (Cic. in Verr. I 97; Scaur. 45. Ascon. 23). <30> During the proscriptions, he abstained from them (Ascon. 16). As quaestor of Pompey in the third Mithradatic war, he accepted bribes from Aristobulos in Judaea (Joseph. Ant. XIV 29; B. Jud. I 6, 3), was left behind by Pompey as an administrator in Syria (Joseph. Ant. XIV 79; Bell. I 7, 7), undertook a campaign against Aretas, king of the Nabataeans, who bought peace for 300 talents, 692/694 = 62/60 (Joseph. Ant. XIV 80; Bell. I 8, 1, hence a kneeling king with an olive branch and Rex Aretas on his denarii). <40> Aedile curulis in the year 696 = 58 with P. Plautius Hypsaeus; both were named together on the coins which they had made EX S. C., ie. because they were granted special permission, Mommsen RMW nr. 267. 268 (Trad. Bl. 273). Scaurus put on games as aedile with pointless and excessive extravagance (Cic. off. II 57; p. Sest. 116 and on this, Schol. Bob. p.304. Val. Max. II 4, 6. 7 [incorrectly, cf. Friedländer Sitt.-Gesch. II⁶ 478]. Plin. n. h. VIII 64. VIII 96 = Solin. 32, 31. Plin. IX 11 = Solin. 34, 2. Plin. XXXIV 36. XXXV 127. XXXVI 50. 114. Ammian. XXII 15, 24). <50> M. Scauri nescio an aedilitas maxime prostraverit mores maiusque sit Sullae malum tanta provigni potentia quam proscriptio tot milium Plin. n. h. XXXVI 113. He wasted all of his money here and must have got into quite serious debt (Ascon. 16). He was in Rome 697 = 57 (Cic. har. resp. 12), praetor 698 = 56 and lead the quaestio de vi, <60> before which the trial of P. Sestius was undertaken (Cic. p. Sest. 101. 116, unjustifiably contested by Mommsen St.-R. II³ 584, 3); his claim that Scaurus was called up as advocatus is impossible for 116 cf. 115). Ex praetura provinciam Sardiniam obtinuit, in qua neque satis abstinenter se gessisse existimatus est et valde arroganter, in the year 699 = 55. <page break 588/589> On 29th June 700 = 54, he returned to Rome to campaign for consul, and on 5th July he defended C. Cato. On 8th July the charge repetundarum was raised to the praetor M. Cato against him by P. Valerius Triarius on behalf of the Sardinians (Ascon. 16. Val. Max. III 6, 7). Cicero took on his defence with five others: Scauri iudicium statim exercebitur cui nos non deerimus (Cic. ad Q. fr. II 15, 5), <10> me expedio ad Scaurum (ad Att. IV 15, 9), Scaurum Triarius reum fecit; si quaeris, nulla est magno opere commota συμπάθεια, sed tamen habet aedilitas eius memoriam non ingratam et est pondus apud rusticos in patris memoria (ad Att. IV 16, 6). Scaurus summam fiduciam in paterni nominis dignitate, magnam in necessitudine Cn. Pompei (cf. below) reponebat (Ascon. 17; on this Cic. Att. IV 15, 7 Pompeius Scauro studet, sed utrum fronte an mente dubitatur). <20> Scaurus was under a severe charge (Val. Max. VIII 1, 10), but his skilled defence, his humble begging, and above all his reference to his father and his magnificent games saved him (Ascon. 18. 25). He was acquitted, which Cic. ad Att. IV 17, 4 (from 1st October) reports; cf. ad Q. fr. III 1, 11 (written in September); orationes efflagitatas pro Scauro et pro Plancio absolvi; Scaurum beneficio defensionis valde obligavi (ibid. § 16). <30> Scaurus intended to gain the favour of the people by making donations, but in the named letter from 1st October Cicero was alraedy afraid that he would be charged de ambitu with his fellow candidates Cn. Domitius Calvinus and M. Messalla: quid poteris, inquies, pro iis dicere? ne vivam si scio. de ambitu postulati sunt omnes qui consulatum petunt -- -- a Triario Scaurus (ad Q. fr. III 2, 3 from 11th October, cf. ad Att. IV 18, 3). <40> Once again, Cicero took on his defence (Quintil. IV 1, 69); his case was unfavourable: Scaurum iam pridem Pompeius abiecit, Cic. ad Q. fr. III 8, 4 (at the end of November). At his trial, the people demanded his acquittal, Pompey opposed them, Scaurus was convicted and went into exile (Appian. b. c. II 24; cf. Cic. off. I 138). Nothing is known of the rest of his life. He was pontifex (Cic. har. resp. 12). He took after his father in terms of arrogance and greed, <50> but he lacked his drive and competence (Ascon. 16, 14). There was nothing notable about him other than his love of grandeur. He bought Cn. Octavius’ house on the Palatine and made magnificent developments, Cic. off. I 138; p. Scaur. 45. Ascon. 23. Plin. n. h. XXXVI 6. His Tusculana villa, decorated with the unusable treasures from his games, was burnt down by his slaves (Plin. XXXVI 115). He owned a collection of carved stones in Rome (Plin. n. h. XXXVII 11). <60> Scaurus was married to Mucia, the daughter of Q. Mucius Scaevola. After the death of his second wife Aemelia, Scaurus’ sister, Pompey married her and had three children with her, then divorced her in 692 = 62 when Scaurus took her as his wife, and fathered a son (nr. 142) with her; hence Ascon. p. 17, 15 habebat filium liberorum Cn. Pompei fratrem = half-brother; <page break 589/590> in this source, the mother is named as Tertia; therefore, she had two sisters.

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This article is referenced by: T. Annius Milo (67), M. Aemilius Scaurus (142), Faustus Cornelius Sulla (377), Tertia Mucia (28)