Marcus Valerius Messalla Rufus

Marcus Valerius Messalla Rufus (* around 103 BC; † around 27/26 BC) was a Roman politician of the late republic.

He was the nephew of the speaker Quintus Hortensius Hortalus and probably cousin of Marcus Valerius Messalla Niger . His sister Valeria was the fifth wife of the dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix . His (presumed) son was Potitus Valerius Messalla , suffect consul 29 BC. Chr.

Messalla became Augur at a young age (82/81 BC) , which he remained for 55 years until his death. 62 or 61 BC He was praetor in the year 53 BC. BC Consul together with Gnaeus Domitius Calvinus ; due to delays in the elections, the two could not take office until July. 51 BC Messalla was charged twice with illegal activities related to elections; the first time he was acquitted because of the eloquence of his uncle Hortensius, despite his obvious guilt, the second time he was convicted.

During the civil war Messalla stood as a legate , among other things in the fighting in Africa and Spain, on the side of Caesar , after whose assassination he withdrew from political life and was only active in literature; his de auspiciis and de familiis works are lost.

swell

Marcus Tullius Cicero , Ad familiares 6, 18, 2; 8, 2, 1; 8, 5, 1; ad Atticum, 4, 16;
Cassius Dio 40, 17, 45;
Bellum Africanum , 28;
Macrobius , Saturnalia , 1. 9, 14
Aulus Gellius 13, 14, 3.

literature

Jens Bartels: Valerius [I 40]. In: The New Pauly (DNP). Volume 12/1, Metzler, Stuttgart 2002, ISBN 3-476-01482-7 .

Remarks

↑ However, it could be that he was involved in the formation of the Senatus consultum de Aphrodisiensibus (probably 39 BC); see Joyce Reynolds , Aphrodisias and Rome , London 1982, pp. 67-68.

personal data
SURNAME	Messalla Rufus, Marcus Valerius
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Valerius Messalla Rufus, Marcus; Rufus, Marcus Valerius Messalla
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Roman consul 53 BC Chr.
DATE OF BIRTH	around 103 BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH	around 26 BC Chr.

[1] However, it could be that he was involved in the formation of the Senatus consultum de Aphrodisiensibus (probably 39 BC); see Joyce Reynolds , Aphrodisias and Rome , London 1982, pp. 67-68.