Quintus Caecilius Metellus Celer (consul)

Quintus Caecilius Metellus Celer [Cognomen dued to the celerity with which he treated of his father's funerals. (Cfr. F. Noel, in "Dictionaire Historique ...")] (before 103 BC or c. 100 BC – 59 BC) was a Consul in 60 BC and son of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Nepos, or according to some of Tribune of the Plebeians Quintus Caecilius Metellus Celer and he the son of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Nepos. Previously he held the offices of Legate in 66 BC, Praetor in 63 BC and Proconsul of Cisalpine Gaul in 62 BC [Cic. Fam. V 1—2] and Augur [Dio XXXVII 23, 3] . Celer was once sent to Picenum and Gaul in order to gather the troops against Catilina. Celer blocked the mountain gates and impeded Catilina to pass through Apennines to Gaul. [Cic. Fam. V 2, 1; Cat. I 19; II 5—6; Sull. 65; Sall. Cat. 30, 5; 42, 3; 57, 2; Val. Max. VII 7, 7; Plut. Cic. 16, 1; Dio XXXVII 27, 3; 32, 2] Originally serving in Pompeius' army, Celer then came into conflict with him and was imprisoned. Celer was married to Clodia Maior and had a daughter Caecilia Metella.

He was a Lieutenant of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus in the Army of Asia and defeated Oroezes, King of Albania in 65 BC. He was then charged with occupying the Picenum and the Senones and sent to Cisalpine Gaul as Proconsul.

He died suddenly in 59 BC, according to some poisoned by his wife and cousin Clodia Maior Quadrantaria - daughter of Appius Claudius Pulcher and wife Caecilia Metella - notorious debauched, lover of her brother Clodius, of Caelius, possibly of the great lyric Poet Catullus (who chanted her as "Lesbia") and many others.

Notes

Further reading

*T.P. Wiseman. Celer and Nepos // Classical Quarterly. 1971, vol. 1., p. 180—182
* Manuel Dejante Pinto de Magalhães Arnao Metello and João Carlos Metello de Nápoles, "Metellos de Portugal, Brasil e Roma", Torres Novas, 1998