Marcus 14Aemilius Lepidus (43; fl.78-77 BC)/
Under the grain law of Gaius Gracchus in 123 BC, a portion of the grain collected as revenue for the state was sold at a subsidised rate to citizens. Sulla later saw this concession as a demoralising drain on the treasury, and so he had it abolished.
In 78 BC 14Aemilius Lepidus, who held the consulship with 03Lutatius Catulus, relying on the general discontent, began to oppose the Sullan settlement. He proposed to recall the exiles, to restore the dispossessed holders to their lands and renew the supply of subsidised corn in Rome, the latter of which he seems to have carried.
Both consuls were sent to Etruria to deal with dispossessed citizens who were attacking Sulla’s veterans. It is suspected that the Senate was reluctant to send Lepidus with an army to Etruria or to allow him to remain in Rome unless he was accompanied by Catulus to restrain him.
Lepidus, however, went first to Gallia Cisalpina, where he recruited new troops. He then demanded to be allowed to seek re-election as a consul in the following year. When the Senate refused, he invited the rebels in Etruria to join him. In 77 BC he marched on Rome but was defeated by Catulus near the city. Meanwhile, the Senate had sent 05Pompeius Magnus to deal with Lepidus’ legate 10Junius Brutus who was raising troops in Gallia Cisalpina. Pompey besieged Brutus in Mutina and then, having accepted his surrender, had him killed.
When the news that his legate had been killed, Lepidus’ resolve (or support) collapsed and he fled to Sardinia, where he died a short time later. One of Lepidus’ supporters Marcus 04Perperna Vento took the remains of Lepidus’ forces to Spain, a region controlled by Quintus Sertorius (c.53; fl.105-72 BC) who had been opposing Sulla since the Civil War.
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