Pontifex maximus lepidus biography definition

Lepidus had previously been a close ally of Julius Caesar. He was also the last pontifex maximus before the Roman Empire , and presumably the last interrex and magister equitum to hold military command. Though he was an able military commander and proved a useful partisan of Caesar, Lepidus has always been portrayed as the least influential member of the Triumvirate.

He typically appears as a marginalised figure in depictions of the events of the era, most notably in Shakespeare 's plays. While some scholars have endorsed this view, others argue that the evidence is insufficient to discount the distorting effects of propaganda by his opponents, principally Cicero and, later, Augustus. His brother was Lucius Aemilius Lepidus Paullus consul in His father was the first leader of the revived populares faction after the death of Sulla , and led an unsuccessful rebellion against the optimates in 78—77 he was defeated just outside of Rome and fled to Sardinia where he died in Lepidus joined the College of Pontiffs as a child.

He started his cursus honorum as triumvir monetalis , overseeing the minting of coins, from c. Lepidus soon became one of Julius Caesar 's greatest supporters. Lepidus was rewarded with the position of propraetor in the Spanish province of Hispania Citerior.

Why did lepidus leave the triumvirate

Lepidus was also nominated interrex by the Senate in 52, being the last known Roman to hold this office. Lepidus refused to support Cassius, who had created opposition to Caesar's regime by his corruption and avarice. He negotiated a deal with the rebel leader, the quaestor Marcellus, and helped to defeat an attack by the Mauretanian king Bogud.

Cassius and his supporters were allowed to leave and order was restored.