Lucius Gellius Publicola

Lucius Gellius Publicola (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 son of Lucius Gellius, who had been consul in 72 BC.

He was accused of committing incest with his stepmother, and of conspiring against his father's life; but although the latter was nearly convinced of his guilt, he allowed him to plead his cause before a large number of senators, and, in consequence of their opinion, declared him innocent.[1]

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] It seems that Polla had been divorced from her first husband Gellius (senior) and had then married Marcus Valerius Messalla.

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, he probably perished in the action.[5]

See also
  • Gellia (gens)

References
  1. Valerius Maximus, Factorum et Dictorum Memorabilium Libri Novem, v.9.ยง1.
  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.

Political offices
Preceded by
M. Vipsanius Agrippa
L. Caninius Gallus
T. Statilius Taurus (suffect)		 Consul of Rome
36 BC
With: Marcus Cocceius Nerva		 Succeeded by
L. Nonius Asprenas (suffect)
Lucius Cornificius
Sextus Pompeius
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