“Laws control the lesser man... Right conduct controls the greater one.”
-Marc Twain

The new Roman Nobility


A history of Rome, by Prof Alfred Kennard, 2002 New York
The Second Punic war brought a lot of wealth to the noble families in Rome. The Senate was populated by a few rich and prestigious families like the Aemilii, Cornelli, Fulvii and of course the Scipios. What we can gather from the ancient sources the wealth was not distributed equally between the Patricians and the Plebeians. The economical situation seemed to worsen for the Plebeians from 180 BC onwards, while people like the Scipios built luxury mansions around Rome. Speculations about corruption were daily topic, but unfortunately no one tried to challenge the rich families. Miss governance of the provinces seemed to increase as well, for example the rumour was that Numerius Cornelius Scipio, a cousin of the victor from the second Macedonian war, used his position as a governor in Sicily to put as much money in his pocket as possible.
But the corruption of the noble families was also a possibility for new Senators to reform the system. One of these men was a Plebeian called Gaius Caecilius Metellus. He was born in Rhegion in 207 BC to the Caecilian gens. This Plebeian gens was one of the richer and prestigious families in Rome who had already produced a few consuls. They were known for their rather conservative sense of politics. Metellus served as a soldier in the First Macedonian war and became a Quaestor in Sicily therafter. There he got to know Numerius Cornelius Scipio and became witness to the corruption, while at the same time the cousin of Numerius, Tiberius Cornelius Scipio Asina, came back from the second Macedonian war as a triumphant war hero. Afterwards he served as a Plebeian Tribune and Plebeian Aedile, both positions he used for architectural improvements to Rome (as we will see later). After serving as a Praetor in Sardinia in 168 BC he returned to Rome to fight against the widespread corruption.




Fabius - Ab Urbe Condita
(written at about 50 BC)

Book XXVIII

At the end of the year 586 AUC [168 BC] Caius Caecilius Metellus returned to Rome after serving in Sardinia. His service was superb, he came to a rather troubled region and left with order and morality restored. Magistrates in Sardinia were said to work hard and efficient even 20 years after Metellus left.
When he returned to Rome the corrupt nobility did not take any notice of it at all, despite his public speeches against corruption throughout his years. It is remarkable that Metellus started to work the very first day he came back. For a man of his character, there was never an idle moment. Each day had to be used to work for the best of Rome and its people. He only took a day off to visit friends and relatives he had in Rome, but besides that he already dealt with his clients on the very first day.
Before Metellus could stand up against the widespread corruption and loss of morality by the Senate he had to work with his clients. Since he had been gone for over a year this work took over the first months and it wasn’t until the spring of the next year [167 BC] that he could go to the courts.
In late March Metellus decided that the time was right. The day before making his announcement he organized a small festivity in his house to invite friends and political allies. The next day Metellus publicly announced his actual endeavour with a small speech: “For too long the nobility in the Senate has stood and watched while some men with influence put their power to enrich them selves first before the needs of Rome. As a firm believer in the greatness of the Roman Senate and its people it is my obligation to bring those responsible to court and see them convicted. I therefore announce to put, among others, Caius Cornelius Sulla [Sullas son], Marcus Cornelius Lentulus and foremost Tiberius Cornelius Scipio Asina, victor in Spain and Macedon, before court.






A history of Rome, by Prof Alfred Kennard, 2002 New York

Among the nobility the accusation from Metellus was quite the shock. Even though everyone seemed to know that Scipio was corrupt, his deeds to Rome, his ancestry of two great victors against the Carthaginians was enough to let him live with his flaws. Metellus was a calm man of principle, who wanted to see order and honesty restored to the Senate. But he also had the momentum at his side, his proclamation to bring the corrupt people to court was quite the news and made Metellus instantly popular among the masses. Resisting such a man could mean possible riots and disorder among the Plebeians and the Scipios knew that very well.
The only chance for them was to face Metellus in court and use his weapons against him. The Scipios tried to confront him directly in court and delayed the procedure wherever they could. The sessions went on till October of the same year, when Metellus got unexpected support. The youngest son of Sulla, Marcus Cornelius Sulla supported Metellus in court and spoke out against his older brother Gaius. Spurius Sulla had already withdrawn from daily politics in 169 BC and retired to a villa north to Rome. Fabius interprets that the popular Spurius Sulla, fearing that his name might be put to shame through his son Gaius, told Marcus Sulla to speak out against his brother. While the famous Sulla retired indeed as a rich man, it was said that he did so rather honestly and even if he made money by illegal means, at least he spent a good portion to the public cause.





Eventually Metellus won the case and the convicted Senators, among them Numerius Cornelius Scipio and Tiberius Cornelius Scipio Asina, went into exile. Metellus had become the hero of Rome and immediately the next year he became consul. Within one year the Plebeian Senator became the most prominent member of the Senate and would guide Roman politics for the next years.