Gaius Caecilius Metellus Caprarius - Family

Family

The Caecilii Metelli were an extremely prominent family in the late Roman Republic. They were conservative aristocrats, though members of the plebeian gens Caecilia.

Caprarius was the youngest son of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus. Macedonicus was praetor in 148 BC and consul in 143 BC. He received the command in Macedonia, where he defeated a pretender to the throne named Andriscus. He received a triumph and the cognomen 'Macedonicus' for this victory. He was censor in 131 BC. Macedonicus was a conservative aristocrat and opposed Tiberius Gracchus and Gaius Gracchus, who went around the Senate and based their power on the people.

Caprarius' eldest brother was Quintus Caecilius Metellus Balearicus. He went to Thessaly to obtain grain as aedile around 130 BC. He was praetor by 126 BC and consul in 123 BC. Balearicus was given the command to defeat the inhabitants of the Balearic Islands, who practiced piracy. He was victorious and triumphed in 121 BC, receiving the cognomen 'Balearicus'. He was censor in 120 BC.

Caprarius' second brother was Lucius Caecilius Metellus Diadematus. He was given the cognomen 'Diadematus' because of the bandage he wore on a head wound. He was consul in 117 BC, and promoted infrastructural improvement in Italy A conservative aristocrat like his father, he probably opposed Gaius Gracchus

The third brother was Marcus Caecilius Metellus II. He was mint master in 127 BC, praetor by 118 BC, and consul in 115 BC. Marcus was given the proconsular command in Corsica and Sardinia from 114 BC to 111 BC, and triumphed for his victory there.

Caprarius had two sisters, both named Caecilia Metella. One married Gaius Servilius Vatia, who was praetor in 114 BC. The other married Publius Cornelius Scipio Nasica Serapio, who was consul in 111 BC.

Caprarius had three sons. One was Quintus Caecilius Metellus Creticus, who was praetor in 74 BC and consul in 69 BC. He was pontifex from 73 BC until his death. Creticus was given the proconsular command against the island of Crete, which was aiding Mithridates and infested with pirates. He defeated the island and triumphed for it in 62 BC, receiving the cognomen 'Creticus'.

Another son was Lucius Caecilius Metellus. He was praetor in 71 BC. He succeeded Gaius Verres as governor of Sicily in 70 BC. He died in office as consul in 68 BC.

Marcus Caecilius Metellus was Caprarius' third son. He was praetor and president of the extortion court in 69 BC.

Caprarius' daughter, Caecilia Metella, was the wife of Gaius Verres. Verres was the governor of Sicily from 73 BC to 71 BC. He was also the defendant on trial in Cicero's speech Against Verres