Quintus Caecilius Metellus Creticus (died 55 BC)

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Quintus Caecilius Metellus Creticus, (c. 135 BC – 55 BC) was a son of Gaius Caecilius Metellus Caprarius. He became a Consul in 69 BC, and was dispatched to conquer Crete immediately thereafter; he succeeded in vanquishing Crete, previously dominated by Pompey's Delegates, after four years of ruthless fighting. Because of his actions he earned the cognomen "Creticus". He was the sent to Apulia, where he made right to the Honours of Triumph. He was part of the College of Pontiffs.

He was the father of:

• Quintus Caecilius Metellus
• Lucius Caecilius Metellus Creticus
• Caecilia Metella, born c. 100 BC, wife of Marcus Licinius Crassus Iunior or the Younger, son and heir of Triumvir Marcus Licinius Crassus, the wealthiest great tenant of Rome, and wife Axia Tertula, who was a legate to Julius Caesar, and father of the next Consul of that name; her husband erected in her memory, at the top of a hill of the Appian Way, a monumental tomb of the most elegant proportions, dominant of all temples, tombs and villae of the proximity; standing on a quadrangular base seven metres high, it has on her a cylindrical body 11 metres high with 29 metres diameter; on the side of the Appian Way is still visible the following distical: CAECILIAE / Q. CRETICI F. / METELLAE CRASSUS.

[edit] Crete campaign

The four year campaign to vanquish Crete including battles on may parts of the island. As the Romans, under Quintus Caecilius Metellus Creticus, conquered various Cretan cities, Kydonia fell to Roman forces led by by Caicilius Metellus in 69 BC. After the conquest of Kydonia, Panares, one of Kydonia's generals signed a truce with Rome.

[edit] References

• Manuel Dejante Pinto de Magalhães Arnao Metello and João Carlos Metello de Nápoles, "Metellos de Portugal, Brasil e Roma", Torres Novas, 1998
• C. Michael Hogan, Cydonia, The Modern Antiquarian, Jan. 23, 2008 [1]