Quintus Caecilius Metellus Scipio

Metellus Scipio was Pompey's father-in-law, commanded the senatorial army in Africa, and killed himself rather than fall into Caesar's hands. Born around 100 BC, he was a Scipio by birth and adopted into the Caecilii Metelli, which gave him the two greatest names in the Republic and the arrogance that went with them. Cicero remarked that he had inherited everything from his ancestors except their ability. He was prosecuted for electoral bribery in 60 BC and again in 52, and escaped both times. Pompey married his daughter Cornelia in 52 BC and immediately made him his colleague as consul, which ended the second prosecution. In the civil war he governed Syria, extorted heavily from the province, and brought two legions to Greece. At Pharsalus in 48 BC he commanded the centre, and his rank in the senatorial camp was such that the surviving accounts describe the Pompeians arguing over the priesthoods and the consulships they would distribute after the victory they had not yet won. He escaped to Africa and took the supreme command there over Cato, who declined it on the grounds that Scipio was a proconsul and he was not. He was heavily defeated at Thapsus in 46 BC. Attempting to reach Spain, his ship was intercepted off Hippo. Boarders asked where the commander was, and he answered that the commander was well, ran himself through, and died. An old prophecy had held that a Scipio would always be victorious in Africa, which is why he had been given the command.

• Lived: 100 BCE – 46 BCE
• Nationality: Roman
• Roles: general, ruler