Gaius Popillius Laenas

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Gaius Popillius Laenas was a Roman politician in the first half of the 2nd century BC. From the gens of Popillii .

In 175 BC He obtained the praetur after in 176 BC. His brother Marcus had already held this office. In the consulate (172 BC) he also succeeded his brother. As consul, against the bitter resistance of the Senate, he prevented the restitution of the Ligurian prisoners of war sold by his brother the previous year . Together with his counterpart Publius Aelius Ligus , he formed the first purely plebeian consuls couple in the history of the Roman Republic, which was expressly noted in the consular fasts .

In 169 BC Popillius was ambassador in Greece and stayed on Delos shortly before the Battle of Pydna to await the outcome of the Third Macedonian War . After the Roman victory, he went immediately to Alexandria to Antiochus IV. To bring the Roman ultimatum for the immediate withdrawal from occupied Egypt demanded (see. Sixth Syrian War ). When he hesitated, Laenas drew a circle in the sand with his stick and asked them to make a decision before leaving the circle. With his gruff manner, he induced the Seleucid king to accept the Roman demand (see also Day of Eleusis ).

158 BC BC Popillius was re-elected consul, while his brother Marcus was censor . The date of his death is unknown. His son Publius reached 132 BC. The consulate.

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personal data
SURNAME Popillius Laenas, Gaius
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Laenas, Gaius Popillius
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Roman politician, consul 172 and 158 BC Chr.
DATE OF BIRTH before 204 BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH after 158 BC Chr.