Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso

Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso ( 1st century BC) was a high ranking Roman aristocrat and senator. He was firmly traditionalist and opposed the populist First Triumvirate, and later Julius Caesar. He fought against Caesar in the Caesar's civil war and against his adopted son, Octavian, in the Liberators' civil war; both times on the losing side. He was twice pardoned, and subsequently retired from politics. He was unexpectedly appointed consul in 23 BC by the Emperor Augustus, whom he served alongside. In mid-term Augustus fell ill and was expected to die, which would, in theory, have left Piso as the highest authority in the state. In the event, Augustus recovered. Background Calpurnius Piso bore the same name as his father, Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso. He belonged to the gens Calpurnia, one of the most distinguished Roman gentes, which was of consular rank since 180 BC. The Calpurnii Pisones formed the main branch of the gens, and already counted eight consuls by 23 BC. Piso married a daughter of a Marcus Popillius and they had at least two sons: Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso, who later became consul in 7 BC; and Lucius Calpurnius Piso, consul in 1 BC. Piso's homonymous father was alleged to have participated in Lucius Sergius Catilina's supposed First Catilinarian conspiracy to depose the consuls elected for 65 BC. Dispatched to Spain in 64 BC as quaestor pro praetore, on the motion of Marcus Licinius Crassus and carried likely due to a shortage of commanders, he was killed there by Pompeian assassins.