Marcus Claudius Marcellus (aedile 91 BC)

Marcus Claudius Marcellus (late 2nd to mid 1st century BC) was a politician and senator of the Roman Republic. He belonged to the tribus Arnensis.SIG, 747, line 7. He was the grandsonMünzer, in Pauly-Wissowa RE 3: stemma on pp.2731-32 no.227 of another Marcus Claudius Marcellus (cos. 166, 155 and 152 BC) and the fatherSmith, p.932 of two later consuls: Marcus Claudius Marcellus (cos. 51 BC), and Gaius Claudius Marcellus (cos. 49 BC). The Claudii Marcelli were a plebeian family, members of the nobiles with a long history of consulships throughout the history of the Republic.

Marcellus is mentioned by Cicero in his work, de OratoreCicero, de Oratore, 1.57 (On the Orator) written in the mid-fifties, in a dialogue set in 91 BC, which identifies him as Curule Aedile of that year, celebrating the Roman games. There was no fixed age for holding the aedileship, but this was probably in his twenties.

He is probablyMünzer, in Pauly-Wissowa RE 3: 2760 no.227 the “M. Claudius M. f. Arnensis Marcellus” (Arnensis referencing his voting tribe) listed in the inscription of OroposSIG, 747 ( IG VII.413 ) in Greece as a member of the consilium (Senate committee) which, in 73 BC, judged against the claims of Rome's publicani to collect taxes in Oropos.Cicero, de Natura Deorum, 3.49 In MRR IIBroughton, MRR II, s.a. 91 BC = AUC 663 and MRR IIIBroughton, MRR III, pp.54-55 Broughton asserts that Marcellus held the Praetorship prior to 74 BC, probably many years before. Marcellus heads the list of senators given in the Oropos inscription, following the consuls, suggesting his seniority.

Marcellus was probably that M. Claudius Marcellus named in Cicero's published speech in Verrem as major patron in Sicily.Cicero, in Verrem, actio 2, 1.135, 1.144, 1.153

Notes

Bibliography Ancient works Cicero, de Natura Deorum, de Oratore (translation by William Guthrie on Wikisource), in Verrem (translation by C. D. Yonge on Wikisource)

Modern works

Friedrich Münzer, Claudius 227, in

Wilhelm Dittenberger, Sylloge Inscriptionum Graecarum (Collection of Greek Inscriptions, abbreviated SIG), Leipzig (1883).