Marcus Aemilius Lepidus
Marcus Aemilius Lepidus (c. 89–13/12 BCE) was a Roman patrician, a supporter of Julius Caesar and one of the three members of the legally constituted Second Triumvirate alongside Octavian and Mark Antony. He served as consul, master of the horse, pontifex maximus and provincial governor.
Lepidus was not merely a passive third partner. His armies and provinces made him important during the struggles after Caesar's assassination. His political position collapsed in 36 BCE, when his troops defected to Octavian in Sicily. He retained the office of pontifex maximus but spent the rest of his life outside active power.
Career timeline
| Date | Event | Significance |
|---|---|---|
|
49 BCE |
Praetor; supported Caesar |
Joined the Caesarian leadership |
|
46 BCE |
Consul with Caesar |
One of Caesar's senior deputies |
|
44 BCE |
Pontifex maximus |
Held the priesthood until death |
|
43 BCE |
Second Triumvirate |
Shared power with Octavian and Antony |
|
36 BCE |
Loss of army and authority |
Octavian removed Lepidus from active power |
Golden Aurelius with a portrait of Marcus Aemilius Lepidus 42 BC Private collection
Lepidus was praetor in 49 BCE and supported Julius Caesar at the outbreak of civil war. Caesar appointed him to Hispania Citerior, where he helped settle the conflict surrounding Quintus Cassius Longinus. Lepidus celebrated a triumph on returning to Rome and held the consulship with Caesar in 46 BCE.
As magister equitum, Lepidus acted as one of Caesar's senior deputies. After Caesar's assassination in 44 BCE, he had troops near Rome and helped negotiate the unstable settlement between the Senate and Mark Antony. He later became pontifex maximus, an office he retained until his death.
Roman denarius with a portrait of Marcus Aemilius Lepidus
In 43 BCE Lepidus joined Octavian and Mark Antony in the Second Triumvirate, a legal emergency commission created to restore the state. He participated in the proscriptions and received provincial commands, but his share of power narrowed as Octavian and Antony became dominant.
After the Perusine War, Lepidus governed Africa and commanded several legions. In 36 BCE he brought forces to Sicily for the campaign against Sextus Pompey and then tried to claim the island for himself. His soldiers went over to Octavian, who stripped him of triumviral authority and provincial command. Lepidus was allowed to live and remained pontifex maximus until his death in 13 or 12 BCE.
Related topics
Roman Republic, Second Triumvirate, Triumvirate overview, Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, Octavian Augustus, Pontifex
Literature
Ancient sources
1. Appian. The Civil Wars. 2. Cassius Dio. Roman History. 3. Velleius Paterculus. Roman History. 4. Plutarch. Life of Antony. 5. Suetonius. Augustus.
Modern studies
1. Ronald Syme. The Roman Revolution. 2. Richard D. Weigel. Lepidus: The Tarnished Triumvir. Routledge, 1992.
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