Lucius Caecilius Metellus Delmaticus (born ) was a Roman politician and general. He was a son of

Lucius Caecilius Metellus Calvus Lucius Caecilius Metellus Calvus (c. 200 BC or before 178 BC – after 136 BC) was a Roman statesman. He was a son of Quintus Caecilius Metellus and brother of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus. First Calvus used to be a Praetor, later a ...

and brother of

Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus (c. 155 BC – 91 BC) was an ancient Roman statesman and general, he was a leader of the Optimates, the conservative faction of the Roman Senate. He was a bitter political opponent of Gaius Marius. He was consul ...

. He was

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 ...

in 119 BC; during his year, he opposed

Gaius Marius Gaius Marius (; – 13 January 86 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. Victor of the Cimbric and Jugurthine wars, he held the office of consul an unprecedented seven times during his career. He was also noted for his important refor ...

' election procedures law. As consul and proconsul from 119–117 BC, he campaigned against the Dalmatians. For his victories, he triumphed in 117 BC, earning his

cognomen A ''cognomen'' (; plural ''cognomina''; from ''con-'' "together with" and ''(g)nomen'' "name") was the third name of a citizen of ancient Rome, under Roman naming conventions. Initially, it was a nickname, but lost that purpose when it became here ...

and dedicating two temples – also contributing to repairs for the

Temple of Castor and Pollux The Temple of Castor and Pollux ( it, Tempio dei Dioscuri) is an ancient temple in the Roman Forum, Rome, central Italy. It was originally built in gratitude for victory at the Battle of Lake Regillus (495 BC). Castor and Pollux (Greek Polydeuces ...

– from the spoils of war. He was probably elected censor in 115 BC; attribution of which Caecilius Metellus was elected censor in that year is disputed: Broughton's ''Magistrates of the Roman Republic'' (1951) believes it was Lucius Caecilius Metellus Diadematus; Ernst Badian, however, believes that the engraver made a mistake and that it is more likely that Delmaticus served as censor in that year. He was later elected pontifex maximus, in place of Publius Mucius Scaevola, some time before December 114 BC. During his pontifical tenure, he was judge in a trial of three

Vestal Virgins In ancient Rome, the Vestal Virgins or Vestals ( la, Vestālēs, singular ) were priestesses of Vesta, virgin goddess of Rome's sacred hearth and its flame. The Vestals were unlike any other public priesthood. They were chosen before puberty ...

for unchastity, of which one was convicted. The acquittal by the pontiffs of two of the vestals was overturned the next year when they were convicted and put to death by a special tribunal convened under

Lucius Cassius Longinus Ravilla Lucius Cassius Longinus Ravilla was a Roman politician. He served as consul in 127 BC and censor at the following lustrum in 125 BC. His first recorded office was that of tribune of the plebs in 137 BC. As a tribune of the plebs, he ...

. His replacement as pontifex maximus was elected in 103 BC, indicating that Delmaticus likely had died by that time.

Children

He was the father of: * Lucius Caecilius Metellus * Marcus Caecilius Metellus * Caecilia Metella, wife of Marcus Aemilius Scaurus and later Sulla.

References

Sources * * 2nd-century BC births 2nd-century BC clergy 2nd-century BC Roman consuls Delmaticus, Lucius Optimates Pontifices maximi of the Roman Republic Roman censors Year of birth uncertain Year of death unknown {{AncientRome-politician-stub

Children

See also

References