Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus
Encyclopedia
Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus (died 48 BC) was a politician of the late Roman Republic
.
Bibulus was the son in law of Marcus Porcius Cato Uticencis
. In 59 BC he was elected consul
, supported by the optimates
, conservative republicans in the Senate
and opponents of Julius Caesar
's triumvirate
. In this, Caesar, also elected consul in 59 BC, had failed in securing the election to the consulship of his ally Lucius Lucceius
. Nevertheless, with the combined strength of the triumvirate, Caesar was largely able to circumvent the authority of Bibulus and the optimates.
Bibulus' only major act as consul was to veto
Caesar's bill giving land in Campania
to Pompey's soldiers, and to then declare that the rest of the days on which the Centuriate Assembly
could meet would be religious holidays. Caesar presented his bill at the Assembly anyway, and when Bibulus tried to intervene, the crowd broke his fasces
and dumped feces on him. He retired from the Forum, leaving Caesar with complete control over the consulship, although he occasionally issued complaints against Caesar, which led to attacks on his house from Caesar's supporters, the populares
. For the rest of the year, the populares joked that the two consuls were really "Julius and Caesar"; the "optimates" returned the joke by referring to the Bibulus' co-consul as the "Queen of Bithynia," an allusion to Caesar's alleged love affair with the king of Bithynia
. Bibulus spent the remainder of his term sequestered in his house where he claimed he was watching for omens, an act that purported to technically invalidate all legislation passed that year.
As a senator, in 52 BC, he supported Pompey
, who was by then a political enemy of Caesar. Bibulus and Cato Uticencis allowed Pompey to serve as sole consul in 52 BC after the murder of Publius Clodius. In 51 BC he became governor of Syria
, but offended the army there by claiming a victory which had been won before he arrived.
In 48 BC he allied with Pompey against Caesar, commanding Pompey's navy in the Adriatic
. He captured Caesar's fleet, leaving Caesar stranded in Epirus
, although this was a small feat as Caesar went on to defeat Pompey at the Battle of Pharsalus
. Bibulus died later in 48 BC.
Bibulus was married twice. From the first marriage he had three sons, including the later statesman Lucius Calpurnius Bibulus
. His two eldest sons were killed in Egypt
by some of the soldiery which Aulus Gabinius
had left there after having restored Ptolemy Auletes to the throne. His second wife was Cato's daughter Porcia
.
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
.
Bibulus was the son in law of Marcus Porcius Cato Uticencis
Cato the Younger
Marcus Porcius Cato Uticensis , commonly known as Cato the Younger to distinguish him from his great-grandfather , was a politician and statesman in the late Roman Republic, and a follower of the Stoic philosophy...
. In 59 BC he was elected 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...
, supported by the optimates
Optimates
The optimates were the traditionalist majority of the late Roman Republic. They wished to limit the power of the popular assemblies and the Tribunes of the Plebs, and to extend the power of the Senate, which was viewed as more dedicated to the interests of the aristocrats who held the reins of power...
, conservative republicans in the Senate
Roman Senate
The Senate of the Roman Republic was a political institution in the ancient Roman Republic, however, it was not an elected body, but one whose members were appointed by the consuls, and later by the censors. After a magistrate served his term in office, it usually was followed with automatic...
and opponents of Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
's triumvirate
First Triumvirate
The First Triumvirate was the political alliance of Gaius Julius Caesar, Marcus Licinius Crassus, and Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus. Unlike the Second Triumvirate, the First Triumvirate had no official status whatsoever; its overwhelming power in the Roman Republic was strictly unofficial influence, and...
. In this, Caesar, also elected consul in 59 BC, had failed in securing the election to the consulship of his ally Lucius Lucceius
Lucius Lucceius
Lucius Lucceius, Roman orator and historian, friend and correspondent of Cicero. A man of considerable wealth and literary tastes, he may be compared with Atticus. Disgusted at his failure to become consul in 60 BC, he retired from public life, and devoted himself to writing a history of the Social...
. Nevertheless, with the combined strength of the triumvirate, Caesar was largely able to circumvent the authority of Bibulus and the optimates.
Bibulus' only major act as consul was to veto
Veto
A veto, Latin for "I forbid", is the power of an officer of the state to unilaterally stop an official action, especially enactment of a piece of legislation...
Caesar's bill giving land in Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
to Pompey's soldiers, and to then declare that the rest of the days on which the Centuriate Assembly
Roman assemblies
The Legislative Assemblies of the Roman Republic were political institutions in the ancient Roman Republic. According to the contemporary historian Polybius, it was the people who had the final say regarding the election of magistrates, the enactment of new statutes, the carrying out of capital...
could meet would be religious holidays. Caesar presented his bill at the Assembly anyway, and when Bibulus tried to intervene, the crowd broke his fasces
Fasces
Fasces are a bundle of wooden sticks with an axe blade emerging from the center, which is an image that traditionally symbolizes summary power and jurisdiction, and/or "strength through unity"...
and dumped feces on him. He retired from the Forum, leaving Caesar with complete control over the consulship, although he occasionally issued complaints against Caesar, which led to attacks on his house from Caesar's supporters, the populares
Populares
Populares were aristocratic leaders in the late Roman Republic who relied on the people's assemblies and tribunate to acquire political power. They are regarded in modern scholarship as in opposition to the optimates, who are identified with the conservative interests of a senatorial elite...
. For the rest of the year, the populares joked that the two consuls were really "Julius and Caesar"; the "optimates" returned the joke by referring to the Bibulus' co-consul as the "Queen of Bithynia," an allusion to Caesar's alleged love affair with the king of Bithynia
Bithynia
Bithynia was an ancient region, kingdom and Roman province in the northwest of Asia Minor, adjoining the Propontis, the Thracian Bosporus and the Euxine .-Description:...
. Bibulus spent the remainder of his term sequestered in his house where he claimed he was watching for omens, an act that purported to technically invalidate all legislation passed that year.
As a senator, in 52 BC, he supported Pompey
Pompey
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, also known as Pompey or Pompey the Great , was a military and political leader of the late Roman Republic...
, who was by then a political enemy of Caesar. Bibulus and Cato Uticencis allowed Pompey to serve as sole consul in 52 BC after the murder of Publius Clodius. In 51 BC he became governor of Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, but offended the army there by claiming a victory which had been won before he arrived.
In 48 BC he allied with Pompey against Caesar, commanding Pompey's navy in the Adriatic
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
. He captured Caesar's fleet, leaving Caesar stranded in Epirus
Epirus
The name Epirus, from the Greek "Ήπειρος" meaning continent may refer to:-Geographical:* Epirus - a historical and geographical region of the southwestern Balkans, straddling modern Greece and Albania...
, although this was a small feat as Caesar went on to defeat Pompey at the Battle of Pharsalus
Battle of Pharsalus
The Battle of Pharsalus was a decisive battle of Caesar's Civil War. On 9 August 48 BC at Pharsalus in central Greece, Gaius Julius Caesar and his allies formed up opposite the army of the republic under the command of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus...
. Bibulus died later in 48 BC.
Bibulus was married twice. From the first marriage he had three sons, including the later statesman Lucius Calpurnius Bibulus
Lucius Calpurnius Bibulus
Lucius Calpurnius Bibulus was a Roman statesman.Lucius Bibulus was the son of Julius Caesar's implacable enemy Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus and possibly, Porcia Catonis , although it is unlikely...
. His two eldest sons were killed in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
by some of the soldiery which Aulus Gabinius
Aulus Gabinius
Aulus Gabinius, Roman statesman and general, and supporter of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, was a prominent figure in the later days of the Roman Republic....
had left there after having restored Ptolemy Auletes to the throne. His second wife was Cato's daughter Porcia
Porcia Catonis
Porcia Catonis, also known simply as Porcia was a Roman woman who lived in the 1st century BC. She was the daughter of Marcus Porcius Cato Uticencis and his first wife Atilia...
.