Marcus Aemilius Lepidus

Marcus Aemilius Lepidus ( 121 – 77 BC) was a Roman statesman and general. After the death of Lucius Cornelius Sulla, he joined or instigated a rebellion against the government established by Lucius Cornelius Sulla, demanding a consecutive term as consul late in his year and – when refused – marching on Rome. Lepidus' forces were defeated in a battle near the Milvian Bridge and he fled to Sardinia. He was the father of the triumvir Lepidus and of one of the consuls for 50 BC, the other was Lucius Aemilius Lepidus Paullus. Early career During the Social War Lepidus fought in northern Italy under Pompeius Strabo, who was consul in 89 BC. He was probably aedile while Sulla was in Greece fighting the First Mithridatic War. In 82 BC, during Sulla's civil war, he fought for Sulla. Some time during Sulla's dictatorship, he held the praetorship. He captured Norba, in Latium, which had sided with Sulla's enemies. Appian wrote that after a long resistance, he was let in the town by treachery. This usually happened when a town could no longer endure a siege. Angered by the betrayal, some inhabitants killed themselves and some set fire to the town. Lepidus was the first governor of Sicily under Sulla's regime. This was probably in 81 BC, but there is no information about what he did when he was there. He had family ties to this province: two members of his family had been governors in Sicily in 218 BC and 191 BC respectively. Cicero wrote that he had not committed fraud in regard to the grain supply. Pliny the Elder noted that Lepidus divorced his wife Appuleia, but he does not give a date. She was related to Lucius Appuleius Saturninus. He enriched himself during Sulla's proscriptions. Pliny the Elder thought that he had the most beautiful house in Rome, with marble thresholds and shields with the battle scenes of Troy.