Quintus Poppaedius Silo (sometimes seen as ''Pompaedius'') (died 88 BC) was a leader of the Italian tribe of the

Marsi The Marsi were an Italic people of ancient Italy, whose chief centre was Marruvium, on the eastern shore of Lake Fucinus (which was drained in the time of Claudius). The area in which they lived is now called Marsica. They originally spoke a l ...

and one of the leaders of the Italian rebels during the Social War against

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

. Poppaedius was called the 'heart and soul' of the rebellion. He was a friend of Marcus Livius Drusus the Younger. A story told by

Plutarch Plutarch (; , ''Ploútarchos'', ; – 120s) was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo (Delphi), Temple of Apollo in Delphi. He is known primarily for his ''Parallel Lives'', ...

tells of Silo making a visit to his friend Marcus Livius and meeting the children of the house. In a playful mood he asked the children's support for his cause. All of them nodded and smiled except Cato the Younger, who stared at the guest with most suspicious looks. Silo demanded an answer from him and seeing no response took Cato and hung him by the feet out of the window. Even then, Cato would not say anything. In 91 BC, Poppaedius led 10,000 Marsi in a march on Rome to support Drusus' pro-Italian legislation. They were met by Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, the Pontifex Maximus, who persuaded them to go back. After Drusus's murder, the Social War started and Silo became the military leader of the Marsi. At the start of the War, twelve Italian tribes formed ''Italia'', their own state in Italy (as an alternative to the Roman Republic), and Silo was elected one of two Italian

consuls A consul is an official representative of a government who resides in a foreign country to assist and protect citizens of the consul's country, and to promote and facilitate commercial and diplomatic relations between the two countries. A consu ...

. As 'consul' Silo was given command of the Marsic group (Marsi, Paeligni, Vestini, Marrucini,

Picentes The Picentes or Piceni or Picentini were an ancient Italic peoples, Italic people who lived from the 9th to the 3rd century BC in the area between the Foglia and Aterno rivers, bordered to the west by the Apennines and to the east by the Adriatic ...

, Frentani), whereas his consular colleague

Gaius Papius Mutilus Gaius Papius Mutilus was a Samnium, Samnite noble who is best known for being the leader of the southern rebels who fought against the army of Ancient Rome, Rome in the Social War (91–87 BC), Social War (also known as the Italian War); was a mem ...

was given command of the Samnite group. During the second year of the war (90 BC) he tricked and ambushed the Roman

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 disch ...

Quintus Servilius Caepio and slaughtered his army. Poppaedius is said to have killed Caepio himself, as Poppaedius held Caepio responsible for the murder of his friend Drusus. He then went after Caepio's co-commander

Gaius Marius Gaius Marius (; – 13 January 86 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. Victor of the Cimbrian War, Cimbric and Jugurthine War, Jugurthine wars, he held the office of Roman consul, consul an unprecedented seven times. Rising from a fami ...

, Rome's most experienced general, but was unable to force a decisive engagement. This led Poppaedius to challenge Marius: 'So if you are such a great general, Marius, why not come down rom your fortificationsand fight it out?' To this Marius retorted 'Well, if you think you are any good a general, why don't you try to make me?' During 89 BC the fortunes of war turned against the Italian rebels. Poppaedius, now fighting in

Samnium Samnium () is a Latin exonym for a region of Southern Italy anciently inhabited by the Samnites. Their own endonyms were ''Safinim'' for the country (attested in one inscription and one coin legend) and ''Safineis'' for the The language of t ...

, recaptured the Samnite capital Bovianum which had been taken by

Lucius Cornelius Sulla Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix (, ; 138–78 BC), commonly known as Sulla, was a Roman people, Roman general and statesman of the late Roman Republic. A great commander and ruthless politician, Sulla used violence to advance his career and his co ...

.Philip Matyszak, ''Cataclysm 90 BC'', p. 108. After Bovianum he tried to eject the Romans from Apulia but he was killed in battle by Drusus's brother, Mamercus Aemilius Lepidus Livianus.Thomas Broughton, ''The Magistrates of the Roman Republic'', vol II, p. 42; Philip Matyszak, ''Cataclysm 90 BC'', p. 108.

Fiction

Silo appears as a supporting character in the first two novels of Colleen McCullough's ''Masters of Rome'' series; The First Man in Rome and The Grass Crown.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Poppaedius Silo, Quintus 1st-century BC tribal chiefs in Europe 1st-century BC Romans Roman-era inhabitants of Italy Military personnel killed in action Year of birth unknown 88 BC deaths Marsi