Quintus Pedius

This article is about a Roman general and nephew of Julius Caesar. For the deaf painter, see Quintus Pedius (deaf painter).

Quintus Pedius (? - late 43 BC) was a Roman that lived during the late Roman Republic. Pedius was the son of Julia Caesaris Major and an unnamed man from gens Pedii. Pedius’ mother Julia Caesaris was a little known Roman noblewoman who was the eldest sister of Julius Caesar. His maternal cousins were Octavia Minor (fourth wife of triumvir Mark Antony), Roman General Lucius Pinarius Scarpus and Octavian (future first Roman Emperor Augustus). Pedius in 57 BC served as a general during Caesar’s conquest for Gaul. In 55 BC, he lost the election in becoming an aedile, however in 54 BC he won the election and became an aedile. During the Roman Civil War, between Caesar and Pompey in 49 BC, Pedius allied himself with his great uncle. In 48 BC, Pedius was promoted to the praetorship in Rome and in that year he killed Titus Annius Milo. In early 45 BC, served as a legatus against Sextus Pompeius in Spain. Pedius claim victory against Sextus Pompeius and returned to Rome with Caesar. Caesar honored his nephew with a triumph and gave him the title of proconsul. Caesar was assassinated in Rome of March 44 BC. In Caesar’s will, Pedius was named as one of his heirs. Among with his cousins, he received one eighth of certain legacies. From that time onwards, Pedius lived in Caesar’s house in Rome. In April 45 BC, after the victory at the Battle of Mutina, Octavian marched to Rome as the head of the Roman army. Later in August of that year, Octavian with Pedius were elected as consuls. During the consulship, Pedius created a law called the Lex Pedia or Pedian Law, which punished all the murderers of Caesar or those who called for Caesar’s death. Pedius was left in charge of Rome, while his consul cousin left for Northern Italy to join Mark Antony and Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, in forming the Second Triumvirate. The senate approved of his law. Not so long afterwards at Bononia, the Second Triumvirate was formed. When news reached Rome of the new power pact between Octavian, Antony and Lepidus and their lists of people whom they would put to death, Pedius became very concerned. Pedius was unable to stop the events from occurring and recommended only seventeen people to be put to death. Out of concern, he pledged to protect the citizens of Rome. Not so long after, Pedius had suffered so much political fatigue he died. Pedius married a Roman noblewoman called Valeria, who was the sister of Roman consul, senator and orator Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus. Cornivus and Valeria were the children of the Roman politician Marcus Valerius Messalla Rufus. Pedius and Valeria had one child, a son named Quintus Pedius Publicola. Publicola became a Roman senator, who distinguished himself with his oratory.

Sources

• Suetonius, The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Caesar
• Ronald Syme, The Augustan Aristocracy
• William Smith, text of Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, v. 3 p. 163