Lucius Gellius Poplicola

Lucius Gellius Poplicola or Publicola[1] (died c. 31 BC) was a Roman politician and general during the final years of the republic. He was consul in the year 36 BC, and was the grandson and adopted son of Lucius Gellius, who had been consul in 72 BC.

After the death of Caesar in 44 BC, Gellius supported the republican party, and went with Marcus Junius Brutus to Asia. Here he was detected plotting to take the life of Brutus but was pardoned at the intercession of his half-brother, Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus. Shortly afterwards he entered into a conspiracy to kill Gaius Cassius Longinus, but again escaped unpunished through the intercession of his mother Polla.[2]

Gellius, however, showed no gratitude for the leniency which had been shown him. Rather, he change sides and joined the triumvirs, Augustus and Mark Antony. While in their service he had coins struck, on which he appears with the title of Q. P. that is, Quaestor Propraetore.[3] He was rewarded for his treachery with the consulship in 36 BC.[4] In the war between Octavian and Antony, he supported Antony, and commanded the right wing of Antony's fleet at the Battle of Actium. As he is not mentioned again in any known historical texts, it can be assumed that he most likely perished in the battle.[5]

See also

• Gellia gens

References

1. Most ancient records, as well as the RE, spell his name as 'Poplicola'. Münzer, col. 1004, 1005
2. Dio Cassius, Roman History, xlvii.24; Livy, Periochae, 122.
3. Eckhel, vol. v. p223
4. Dio Cassius, Roman History, xlix.24.
5. Plutarch, Antony, 65-66; Velleius Paterculus, History of Rome, ii.85.

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1870). "Publicola, Gellius (2)". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. 3. p. 601.

• Münzer, Friedrich, "Gellius 18", Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft (RE, PW), volume VII.1, Stuttgart, 1910, columns 1003–1005.