__NOTOC__ Marcus Cornelius Cethegus (c. 248 BC196 BC) was a Roman Republican

consul Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states throu ...

and censor during the Second Punic War, best known as a political ally of his kinsman Scipio Africanus.

Political career

He was chosen as

curule A curule seat is a design of a (usually) foldable and transportable chair noted for its uses in Ancient Rome and Europe through to the 20th century. Its status in early Rome as a symbol of political or military power carried over to other civilizat ...

aedile ''Aedile'' ( ; la, aedīlis , from , "temple edifice") was an elected office of the Roman Republic. Based in Rome, the aediles were responsible for maintenance of public buildings () and regulation of public festivals. They also had powers to ...

in 213 BC, with his young kinsman Scipio Africanus as his colleague (although Scipio was under-age, being only 22 or 23 compared to the usual mid-thirties). He was appointed ''

pontifex A pontiff (from Latin ''pontifex'') was, in Roman antiquity, a member of the most illustrious of the colleges of priests of the Roman religion, the College of Pontiffs."Pontifex". "Oxford English Dictionary", March 2007 The term "pontiff" was la ...

'' to replace the '' pontifex maximus'' Lucius Cornelius Lentulus Caudinus who had died. In 211 BC, as

praetor Praetor ( , ), also pretor, was the title granted by the government of Ancient Rome to a man acting in one of two official capacities: (i) the commander of an army, and (ii) as an elected '' magistratus'' (magistrate), assigned to discharge vari ...

, he was in charge of Apulia. In 209 BC, before he had been consul, he was elected censor with

Publius Sempronius Tuditanus Publius Sempronius C.f. Tuditanus (fl. 3rd century BC) was a Roman Republican consul and censor, best known for leading about 600 men to safety at Cannae in August, 216 BC and for the Treaty of Phoenice which ended the First Macedonian War, in 2 ...

. During their censorship, Cethegus disagreed with his colleague about which senator should be elected Princeps Senatus. Tuditanus had the right of choice and chose

Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus, surnamed Cunctator ( 280 – 203 BC), was a Roman statesman and general of the third century BC. He was consul five times (233, 228, 215, 214, and 209 BC) and was appointed dictator in 221 and 217 BC. He was ...

, while Cethegus wanted the most senior censor Titus Manlius Torquatus to be the Princeps Senatus''.'' In 204 BC, he was elected

, possibly to aid his kinsman Scipio, then in Africa. In 203 BC he was

proconsul A proconsul was an official of ancient Rome who acted on behalf of a consul. A proconsul was typically a former consul. The term is also used in recent history for officials with delegated authority. In the Roman Republic, military command, or ...

in Italia Superior, where, in conjunction with the praetor Publius Quintilius Varus, he gained a hard-won victory over

Mago Barca Mago Barca ( xpu, 𐤌𐤂‬𐤍 𐤁𐤓𐤒‬, ; 243–203BC) was a Barcid Carthaginian who played an important role in the Second Punic War, leading forces of Carthage against the Roman Republic in Iberia and northern and central Italy. Ma ...

, Hannibal's brother, at the

Battle of Insubria The Battle of Insubria in 203 BC was the culmination of a major war, carried out by the Carthaginian commander Mago, brother of Hannibal Barca, at the end of the Second Punic war between Rome and Carthage in what is now northwestern Italy. Mago ...

, which forced him to retreat from Italy. He died in 196 BC during an epidemic in Rome.

Other roles

He had a great reputation as an

orator An orator, or oratist, is a public speaker, especially one who is eloquent or skilled. Etymology Recorded in English c. 1374, with a meaning of "one who pleads or argues for a cause", from Anglo-French ''oratour'', Old French ''orateur'' (14th ...

, and is characterised by

Ennius Quintus Ennius (; c. 239 – c. 169 BC) was a writer and poet who lived during the Roman Republic. He is often considered the father of Roman poetry. He was born in the small town of Rudiae, located near modern Lecce, Apulia, (Ancient Calabria ...

as the quintessence of persuasiveness (''suadae medulla''). Horace calls him an authority on the use of Latin words.Horace ''Ars Poet.'' 50; ''Epistles'', ii.2.117

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cornelius Cethegus, Marcus 240s BC births Year of birth uncertain 196 BC deaths 3rd-century BC Roman consuls 3rd-century BC Roman praetors 2nd-century BC Romans Curule aediles Marcus Pontifices Roman censors Roman commanders of the Second Punic War Roman patricians