Quintus Pedius Publicola

Quintus Pedius Publicola or Poplicola (flourished first century BC) was a Roman who came from a Roman senatorial family. Publicola was the son of consul Quintus Pedius and noblewoman Valeria. The elder Pedius was nephew or great nephew of dictator Gaius Julius Caesar. Valeria was one of the sisters to the Roman Senator Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus, thus was a daughter of Marcus Valerius Messalla Niger and his wife, Polla.[1]

His cognomen Publicola or Poplicola means in Latin ‘friend of the people‘. His mother named him this cognomen in honor of her step father consul Lucius Gellius Publicola and also the name Publicola is a cognomen that appears in Valeria’s paternal ancestry, the gens Valeria. Valeria has various paternal ancestors with the cognomen Publicola.

Very little is known on Publicola’s life. Publicola was quaestor in 41 BC[2] and served as a Roman senator. Publicola is remembered from his political career as a distinguished orator. The great Roman poet and satirist Horace, celebrates Publicola’s oratory and mentions Publicola in his writings (Serm.i. 10.28) within the company of his maternal uncle Corvinus. Publicola had a son named Quintus Pedius, who was mute, and became a painter on the advice of Corvinus.