Marcus Aemilius Scaurus

Marcus Aemilius Scaurus (born ca. 163 BC – died 89 BC) was a Roman politician. He was considered one of the most talented and influential politicians of his day.

Scaurus was born in a patrician family, although impoverished. In order to maintain the family lifestyle, his father became a coal-dealer. However, Scaurus himself declined any commercial activities (forbidden for senators) and embarked on a political life.

Scaurus’ "cursus honorum" started when he became a military tribune in the Hispania provinces. Then he became curule aedile in charge of the public games, and afterwards praetor. He was elected consul in 115 BC with Marcus Caecilius Metellus as his junior colleague. In the same year he was nominated "princeps senatus" by the censors in office (Lucius Caecilius Metellus Diadematus and Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus).

As leader of the Roman senate he was often sent abroad to settle disputes amongst foreign kings. In 109 BC, he was elected censor in partnership with Marcus Livius Drusus, who died in the next year putting an end to the censorship. As censor, he ordered the construction of the "Via Aemilia Scaura" and restored several bridges. In 104 BC, he became responsible for Rome's grain supply. This was a very important office, given only to the most trustworthy persons, because the happiness of the population (and absence of mutinies) depended on it. Scaurus was throughout his political career the leader of the aristocratic conservative faction of the senate.

During the wars with Jugurtha, Rome was thought to be "a city for sale", Scaurus was the head of the committee investigating corrupt politicians...although later on he was suspected of being one of the corrupt men himself

His second wife was Caecilia Metella Dalmatica who was later the third wife of Lucius Cornelius Sulla. From this marriage, he had two children:
*Aemilia Scaura, second wife of Pompey
*Marcus Aemilius Scaurus (praetor 56 BC)

Sources:The Chronicles of the Roman Republic - Philip Matyszak