Marcus Pupius Piso Frugi Calpurnianus
Encyclopedia
Marcus Pupius Piso Frugi Calpurnianus belonged originally to the gens Calpurnia
, but was adopted by Marcus Pupius, when the latter was an old man. He retained, however, his family-name Piso.
Piso had attained some importance as early as the first civil war. On the death of Lucius Cornelius Cinna
, in 84 BCE, he married his wife Annia, and in the following year, 83, was appointed quaestor
to the consul
Lucius Cornelius Scipio
. But he quickly deserted this party, and went over to Sulla, who compelled him to divorce his wife on account of her previous connection with Cinna.
He failed in obtaining the aedile
ship, and the year of his praetor
ship is uncertain. After his praetorship he received the province of Spain with the title of proconsul
, and on his return to Rome in 69 BCE, enjoyed the honour of a triumph
, although it was asserted by some that he had no claim to this distinction.
Piso served in the Third Mithridatic War
as a legatus
of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus
, who sent him to Rome in 62, to become a candidate for the consulship, as he was anxious to obtain the ratification of his acts in Asia, and therefore wished to have one of his friends at the head of the state. Piso was accordingly elected consul for the following year, 61 with Marcus Valerius Messalla Niger
. In his consulship he gave great offence to Cicero
, by not asking him first in the senate for his opinion, and still further increased the anger of the orator by taking Publius Clodius under his protection after his violation of the mysteries of the Bona Dea
. Cicero revenged himself on Piso, by preventing him from obtaining the province of Syria
, which had been promised to him.
Piso must have died, in all probability, before the breaking out of the second civil war
, for in 47 BCE Marcus Antonius
inhabited his house at Rome.
Gens Calpurnia
The gens Calpurnia was a plebeian family at Rome, which appears in history during the 3rd century BC. The first of the gens to obtain the consulship was Gaius Calpurnius Piso in 180 BC, but from this time their consulships were very frequent, and the family of the Pisones became one of the most...
, but was adopted by Marcus Pupius, when the latter was an old man. He retained, however, his family-name Piso.
Piso had attained some importance as early as the first civil war. On the death of Lucius Cornelius Cinna
Lucius Cornelius Cinna
Lucius Cornelius Cinna was a four-time consul of the Roman Republic, serving four consecutive terms from 87 to 84 BC, and a member of the ancient Roman Cinna family of the Cornelii gens....
, in 84 BCE, he married his wife Annia, and in the following year, 83, was appointed quaestor
Quaestor
A Quaestor was a type of public official in the "Cursus honorum" system who supervised financial affairs. In the Roman Republic a quaestor was an elected official whereas, with the autocratic government of the Roman Empire, quaestors were simply appointed....
to the consul
Consul
Consul was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire. The title was also used in other city states and also revived in modern states, notably in the First French Republic...
Lucius Cornelius Scipio
Lucius Cornelius Scipio
Lucius Cornelius Scipio may refer to:*Lucius Cornelius Scipio , praetor in 174 BC.*Lucius Cornelius Scipio *Lucius Cornelius Scipio...
. But he quickly deserted this party, and went over to Sulla, who compelled him to divorce his wife on account of her previous connection with Cinna.
He failed in obtaining the aedile
Aedile
Aedile was an office of the Roman Republic. Based in Rome, the aediles were responsible for maintenance of public buildings and regulation of public festivals. They also had powers to enforce public order. There were two pairs of aediles. Two aediles were from the ranks of plebeians and the other...
ship, and the year of his praetor
Praetor
Praetor was a title granted by the government of Ancient Rome to men acting in one of two official capacities: the commander of an army, usually in the field, or the named commander before mustering the army; and an elected magistratus assigned varied duties...
ship is uncertain. After his praetorship he received the province of Spain with the title of proconsul
Proconsul
A proconsul was a governor of a province in the Roman Republic appointed for one year by the senate. In modern usage, the title has been used for a person from one country ruling another country or bluntly interfering in another country's internal affairs.-Ancient Rome:In the Roman Republic, a...
, and on his return to Rome in 69 BCE, enjoyed the honour of a triumph
Roman triumph
The Roman triumph was a civil ceremony and religious rite of ancient Rome, held to publicly celebrate and sanctify the military achievement of an army commander who had won great military successes, or originally and traditionally, one who had successfully completed a foreign war. In Republican...
, although it was asserted by some that he had no claim to this distinction.
Piso served in the Third Mithridatic War
Third Mithridatic War
The Third Mithridatic War was the last and longest of three Mithridatic Wars fought between Mithridates VI of Pontus and his allies and the Roman Republic...
as a legatus
Legatus
A legatus was a general in the Roman army, equivalent to a modern general officer. Being of senatorial rank, his immediate superior was the dux, and he outranked all military tribunes...
of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus
Pompey
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, also known as Pompey or Pompey the Great , was a military and political leader of the late Roman Republic...
, who sent him to Rome in 62, to become a candidate for the consulship, as he was anxious to obtain the ratification of his acts in Asia, and therefore wished to have one of his friends at the head of the state. Piso was accordingly elected consul for the following year, 61 with Marcus Valerius Messalla Niger
Marcus Valerius Messalla Niger
Marcus Valerius Messalla Niger was a senator of the Roman Republic.He was praetor in the year of Cicero's consulship, 63 BC, and consul in 61, the year in which Publius Clodius profaned the mysteries of the Bona Dea, and Gnaeus Pompeius triumphed for his several victories over the Cilician pirates,...
. In his consulship he gave great offence to Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
, by not asking him first in the senate for his opinion, and still further increased the anger of the orator by taking Publius Clodius under his protection after his violation of the mysteries of the Bona Dea
Bona Dea
Bona Dea was a divinity in ancient Roman religion. She was associated with chastity and fertility in women, healing, and the protection of the Roman state and people...
. Cicero revenged himself on Piso, by preventing him from obtaining the province of Syria
History of Syria
The history of Syria:*Prehistory and Ancient Near East: see Pre-history of the Southern Levant, Fertile Crescent, Ebla, Mitanni*Antiquity: see Syro-Hittite states, Greater Syria, Roman Syria...
, which had been promised to him.
Piso must have died, in all probability, before the breaking out of the second civil war
Caesar's civil war
The Great Roman Civil War , also known as Caesar's Civil War, was one of the last politico-military conflicts in the Roman Republic before the establishment of the Roman Empire...
, for in 47 BCE Marcus Antonius
Mark Antony
Marcus Antonius , known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general. As a military commander and administrator, he was an important supporter and loyal friend of his mother's cousin Julius Caesar...
inhabited his house at Rome.