Catulus

CATULUS, the name of a distinguished family of ancient Rome of the gens Lutatia. The following are its most important members: I. GAIUS LUTATIUS CATULUS, Roman commander during the first Punic War, consul 242 B.C. With a fleet of 200 ships, he occupied the harbours of Lilybaeum and Drepanum. The Cartha ginian relieving fleet was totally defeated off the Aegates Islands, March io, 241, and Catulus shared in the triumph, though, owing to a wound, he took no part in the operations. (See PUNIC WARS: First, ad fin.) 2. QUINTUS LUTATIUS CATULUS, Roman general and consul with Marius in 102 B.C. In the war against the Cimbri and Teuton (qq.v.) he was sent to hold the passage of the Alps, but was forced back over the Po (see MARIUS, GAIUS). In Ioi the Cimbri were defeated on the Raudine plain, near Vercellae, by the united armies of Catulus and Marius. The chief honour being ascribed to Marius, Catulus became his bitter opponent. He sided with Sulla in the civil war, was included in the proscription list of 87, and committed suicide. He was distinguished as an orator and writer, and is said to have written the history of his consulship and the Cimbrian War. Two epigrams by him have been preserved and are published in W. W. Merry's Fragments of Roman Poetry (Oxford, 1898, p. .

See Plutarch, Marius, Sulla; Appian, B.C. i. 74 ; Vell. Pat. ii. 21; Florus iii. 21; Val. Max. vi. 3, ix. 13 ; Cicero, De Oratore, iii. 3, 8; Brutus, 35.

3.

QUINTUS LUTATIUS CATULUS (C. I20-61 B.C.), Son of the above, was a consistent supporter of the aristocracy. In 78 he was consul with Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, who proposed the over throw of the Sullan constitution. Catulus vigorously opposed this, but Lepidus marched on Rome at the head of an army. He was defeated by Catulus and Pompey and fled to Sardinia. In 67 and 66 Catulus unsuccessfully opposed the Gabinian and Manilian laws, which conferred special powers upon Pompey. He consist ently opposed Caesar, whom he tried to implicate in the Catilinar ian conspiracy. Caesar, in return, accused him of embezzling public money during the reconstruction of the temple on the Capitol. Catulus's supporters rallied round him, and Caesar dropped the charge. Although not a man of great abilities, Catulus exercised considerable influence through his political consistency and his undoubted solicitude for the welfare of the state.

See Sallust, Catilina, 35, 49 ; Dio Cassius xxxvi. 13 ; Plutarch, Crassus; Suetonius, Caesar, 15.