Lucullus

Family: Roman · Role: general · First appears: Flamininus

Lucullus was a Roman general whose mother Caecilia had a bad reputation, while Metellus was his uncle through his mother’s sister. Before holding office, while still a youth, he accused Servilius the augur, who had accused his father, after catching him in an offense against the state. Sylla admired his constancy and mildness, and Lucullus honored their friendship; he also showed great love for his brother Marcus, later taking charge of his affairs while Marcus was still alive.

He agreed with Hortensius and Sisenna to take his lot, and the young Ptolemy gave him lodging and food in the palace. He opposed Fimbria and Cethegus, and quarrelled with Pompey as both sought honor; after Sylla’s death, he became consul with Cotta. In war, he fought Mithridates, Neoptolemus, Callimachus, and Tigranes, with Archelaus later accompanying the Romans, while Damagoras commended the Rhodian galley on which he embarked. Lucullus conquered northern and eastern territories, carrying an army over Taurus and beyond the Tigris, and taking and burning the royal palaces of Asia.

Lucullus gained Praecia by gifts and flattery, and Zarbienus secretly made overtures of alliance through Appius Clodius, the brother of Lucullus’s wife. He was divorced from Clodia and married Servilia, sister to Cato the Younger; Cicero was his intimate friend, and Cato the Younger, Antiochus of Ascalon, and Antiochus the philosopher were his friends or companions. He was affected by a potion given by Callisthenes, while Murena received responsibility for a charge and took Tyrannion as a freedman. He died before the great political revolution, while the commonwealth was still free but troubled.

Relationship record

Life events

• Lucullus conquered northern and eastern territories, taking and burning Asian royal palaces.(Comparison of Lucullus with Cimon)
  • “Lucullus very much outwent him in war being the first Roman who carried an army over Taurus, passed the Tigris, took and burnt the royal palaces of Asia in the sight of the kings, Tigranocerta, Cabira, Sinope, and Nisibis”
• Lucullus died before the great political revolution, while the commonwealth remained free but troubled.(Comparison of Lucullus with Cimon)
  • “One might bless the end of Lucullus, which was so timed as to let him die before the great revolution”

Flamininus

• enemies with Mithridates “proved a most dangerous enemy, against Lucullus, both by sea and land.”