Marcus Aemilius Lepidus (triumvir)
This page is about the colleague of Octavian and Mark Antony. For other generations of his family see Marcus Aemilius Lepidus.Marcus Aemilius Lepidus (
Latin:
M·AEMILIVS·M·F·Q·N·LEPIDVS["Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, son of Marcus, grandson of Quintus"]), d.
13 BC, was a
patrician Roman politician of the
1st century BC. He was the son of
Marcus Aemilius Lepidus. His father was also involved in a rebellion against the
Roman Republic and died because of it. He was a member of the
Second Triumvirate and
Pontifex Maximus.
Lepidus was among
Gaius Julius Caesar's greatest supporters. He started his
cursus honorum as a
praetor in
49 BC, and was rewarded with the
consulship in
46 BC, after the defeat of the
Pompeians in the East. Following Caesar's assassination in
March 15 44 BC (the
Ides of March), Lepidus allied himself with
Mark Antony in a joint bid for power. But Caesar had left an heir: Gaius Julius
Caesar Octavian, his great-nephew and adopted son, had a matching ambition and the popularity with which to climb the hierarchy. Together they formed the
Second Triumvirate, legalized with the name of
Triumvirs for the Organization of the People by the
Lex Titia of
43 BC. The triumvirate had a legal life span of five years and was renewed in
38 BC with the
Treaty of Tarentum for an equal period of time.
After the pacification of the East and the defeat of the assassins faction in the
Battle of Philippi, during which Lepidus remained in Rome, he went to rule the western provinces of
Hispania and
Africa. Somehow, Lepidus managed to remain aside the frequent quarrels between his colleagues Antony and Octavian. However, in
36 BC, an ill-judged political move was the excuse that Octavian needed. Lepidus was accused of usurping power in
Sicily and attempt of rebellion and was forced to exile. All of his offices were taken away, except the one of
Pontifex Maximus.
Lepidus died peacefully in
13 BC. Lepidus was the brother of
Lucius Aemilius Paullus and father to Marcus Aemilius
Lepidus the Younger. His wife was Junia, sister of
Marcus Junius Brutus and
Junia Tertia,
Gaius Cassius's wife. After the
Battle of Philippi, Lepidus managed to protect Junia Tertia and her mother
Servilia from being executed.
Lepidus in popular culture
His political life is portayed in Alfred Duggan's novel "Three's Company".
