Marcus Popillius Laenas
Marcus Popillius Laenas was in the 4th century BC, living and due to the plebeian family of the Popillier politician of the Roman Republic. 359, 356, possibly 354, 350 and 348 BC, he served as consul, held this supreme Roman state office so four or five times.
Life
According to Triumphalfasten the father of Marcus Popillius Laenas his grandfather also led the praenomen Marcus, however, the praenomen Gaius. The first known office of his cursus honorum is the curule aedile, he held 364 BC; this magistracy was introduced only two years before. In this capacity he held with his counterpart the first ludi scaenici ( theater plays ) in Rome.
359 BC reached Popillius Laenas the first time the consulate, which he held jointly with Gnaeus Manlius Capitolinus imperiosus. Both consuls fought together a sudden night attack on the Tiburtiner Rome successfully. Popillius Laenas also held the priesthood of flamen Carmentalis and resulted in this function during its first consulate just a state victims through when he heard of the revolt of a multitude against the Senate. Even in his priestly mantle, the Laena wrapped, he hurried according to Cicero rebellious plebs that he could soothe his authority and eloquence. Through this episode explains Cicero incorrectly the emergence of Popillius ' nickname Laenas, which in reality originally an Etruscan gentile name might have been and was converted into a cognomen over time.
Presumably, in his capacity as aedile sentenced Popillius Laenas 357 BC Gaius Licinius stolon, who had strongly advocated the equality of plebeians, to pay a fine because stolon his own, have transgressed the maximum ownership of state land in 500 jugers limiting land law should. The following year, 356 BC officiated Popillius Laenas for the second time consul, Marcus Fabius Ambustus had time to counterparts and made war again Tiburtiner, he drove back to their cities; He also devastated their fields.
The Roman historian Livy mentions that some annalists specified the name of a consul of 354 BC, Marcus Popillius. This is usually identified with the one here Marcus Popillius Laenas which would therefore have been consul for the third time this year. Another presented by Livy tradition and all the rest of preserved tradition call instead Popillius however, Titus Quinctius Capitolinus Pennus Crispin. The other consul of 354 BC was in any case the above-mentioned Marcus Fabius Ambustus.
350 BC Popillius Laenas was elected the third or fourth time in the country's highest office. He noticed because his co-consul Lucius Cornelius Scipio was suffering from a disease, but the task of fighting the Gauls, which he also successfully solved by two consecutive victories over the enemies. In the case discharged battles, however, he suffered a serious injury by his left shoulder was pierced by a spear. Because of his military success against the Gauls he was allowed to hold a triumph.
His last consulate, which represented his fourth or fifth, Popillius Laenas had 348 BC held jointly with the younger patrician Marcus Valerius Corvus. Then lies about him no more tradition. His son was the same consul of 316 BC