Quintus Caecilius

Quintus Caecilius (* around 130 BC; † 58 BC ) was a wealthy Roman knight and played a certain role in the late Republic as the uncle of Titus Pomponius Atticus , as the familiaris of Lucius Licinius Lucullus and as a moneylender for the Roman aristocracy Rome .

Life

All that is known about Caecilius' family is that he belonged to the Caecilii Metelli and that his sister was the mother of Titus Pomponius Atticus. Since 65 BC He was active in money transactions in Rome. 58 BC He died and left his nephew Titus Pomponius Atticus, whom he adopted by will, 10 million sesterces and an estate on the Quirinal . He was buried on the fifth milestone of the Appian Way.

character

Cornelius Nepos describes Caecilius as " quem nemo ferre posset ", that is, as unbearable people. Valerius Maximus reports that he had undertaken to appoint his friend Lucius Licinius Lucullus as heir and then unexpectedly certified for Atticus - who knew how to keep the favor of his uncle, who was so difficult in character, until his old age. Outraged, "the Roman people put a rope around the neck of the corpse of the false, malicious person and dragged him through the streets".

Business activity

Quintus Caecilius was active in financial affairs for the Roman aristocracy in Rome. As Olaf Perlwitz explains, dangers up to and including the loss of the capital invested were to be expected. Cicero reports to Atticus that his uncle had been cheated out of a considerable sum. Even with his friends, Quintus Caecilius, who was considered a usurer, did not deviate from his usual interest rate: "because with Caecilius his own blood cannot make a penny liquid for less than 12%". Cicero also had business relationships with Quintus Caecilius and endeavored to be on good terms with him. Caecilius was promoted by Lucius Licinius Lucullus and possibly carried out part of his business on his behalf, who could not do financial transactions because of his rank as senator .

literature

• Arthur Keavaney: Lucullus. London and New York 1992.
• Hans Georg Gundel : Caecilius I 8). In: The Little Pauly (KlP). Volume 1, Stuttgart 1964, column 985.
• Friedrich Münzer : Caecilius 23). In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume III, 1, Stuttgart 1897, Col. 1189.
• Olaf Perlwitz: Titus Pomponius Atticus. Stuttgart 1992.

swell

• Marcus Tullius Cicero, Atticus letters , edited and translated by Helmut Kasten, Düsseldorf / Zurich 1998
• Cornelius Nepos, biographies of famous men , translated and edited by Peter Krafft and Felicitas Olef-Krafft, Stuttgart, 2006
• Valerius Maximus, Collection of Strange Speeches and Deeds, translated by D. Friedrich Hoffmann, Stuttgart, 1828

Remarks

1. ↑ Cornelius Nepos , Atticus 5, 1; Valerius Maximus 7, 8, 5.
2. ↑ Cicero , Letters to Atticus 1, 10, 3.
3. ↑ Cicero, Letters to Atticus 3, 20, 1.
4. ↑ Cornelius Nepos, Atticus 5, 2 and 13, 2.
5. ↑ Nepos, Atticus 22, 4.
6. ↑ Cornelius Nepos, Atticus 5, 1.
7. ↑ Valerius Maximus 7: 8, 5.
8. ↑ Cicero, Letters to Atticus 1, 10, 3.
9. ↑ Cicero, Letters to Atticus 1, 12, 1.
10. ↑ Cicero, Letters to Atticus 2, 19, 5; 2, 20, 1.
11. ↑ Arthur Keaveney, Lucullus , VIII