Quintus Caecilius Metellus (III)

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Quintus Caecilius Metellus (III) (b. ca 130 BC), was the owner of a palace at Tampilium, in the Quirinale, with a beautiful suspended garden in oriental style, with towers and terraces surrounded by a grove of threes, beside of a house and a tomb at the Fifth Mile of the Appian Way, where he was buried, having his fortune been made thanks to favours made to him during his campaign in Asia by his relative Lucius Licinius Lucullus, son of Lucius Licinius Lucullus and wife Caecilia Metella.^[1]

Not having issue, he adopted his maternal nephew - son of his sister Caecilia Metella (ca 130 BC – ca 50 BC) and husband Titus Pomponius - Titus Pomponius Atticus, who for that reason became called Quintus Caecilius Pomponianus Atticus.

He was the son of a Caecilius Metellus (b. ca 160 BC). There cannot be found elements that allow to establish with safety his identity, being possible to be dealing with Lucius Caecilius Metellus Dalmaticus, Lucius Caecilius Metellus Diadematus or Marcus Caecilius Metellus. Indeed, at the time of his probable birth - 170 BC to 150 BC - of the children of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus and Lucius Caecilius Metellus Calvus only from the above mentioned three isn't known a son named Quintus, rule almost binding in the male lines of this descent, being this the name of the only known male son of the identifying. From Lucius Caecilius Metellus Dalmaticus there is only the notice of a Lucius and a Marcus, and from the other two, Lucius Caecilius Metellus Diadematus and Marcus Caecilius Metellus, no issue is known. Or would he be an ignored son of Lucius Caecilius Metellus Calvus? It seems to be this one the most probable hypothesis, since, as said above, the great fortune of the son of the identifying is due to his tight connection to the famous Lucius Licinius Lucullus, vanquisher of Mithridates, son of one Caecilia Metella and maternal grandson of Lucius Caecilius Metellus Calvus.^[2]

[edit] References

1. ^ Pierre Grimal, Rome Devant Cesar, p. 93
2. ^ Manuel Dejante Pinto de Magalhães Arnao Metello and João Carlos Metello de Nápoles, "Metellos de Portugal, Brasil e Roma", Torres Novas, 1998