3, in
of the intrigues of Piso, Gabinius proposed to de Pison.
of the intrigues of Piso, Gabinius proposed to de Pison.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - c
Verr.
iv.
nounces a glowing eulogy on his virtues and merits. 23 ; Val. Max. iv. 3. $ 10; Appian, Hisp. 99. )
He died, as we have already stated, in A. D. 32, il. L. CALPURNIUS Piso FRUGI, the son of
and was honoured by a decree of the senate, with No. 10, was, like his father and grandfather, a man
a public funeral. He was a pontiff at the time of of honour and integrity. He was a colleague of
his death. The year in which he was appointed Verres in the praetorship, B. C. 74, when he
praefectus urbi has occasioned considerable dispute. thwarted many of the unrighteous schemes of the
Tacitus says that he held the office for twenty latter. (Cic. Verr. i. 46. )
years, but this is opposed to the statements of 12. C. CALPURNIUS Piso FRUGI, a son of No.
Seneca and Tiberius, who place his appointment 11, married Tullia, the daughter of Cicero, in B. C.
much later than Tacitus. It is impossible, however, 63, but was betrothed to her as early as B. c. 67
to come to any definite conclusion on the subject (Cic. ad Att. i. 3). In Caesar's consulship, B. C.
(Dion Cass, liv. 21, 34, lviii. 19 ; Florus, iv. 12 ; 59, Piso was accused by L. Vettius as one of the
Vell. Pat. . 98 ; Tac. Ann. vi. 10, 11 ; Senec. conspirators in the pretended plot against Pompey's
Ep. 83 ; Suet. Tib. 42; Plin. H. N. xiv. 22. s. life. He was quaestor in the following year, B. C.
28). According to Porphyrion it was to this 58, when he used every exertion to obtain the
BB 3
## p. 374 (#390) ############################################
374
PISO.
PISO.
e od
PEL, 1 HD
.
Cara
terier. Ce
tort me
ܝ ܫ
Posta
primer. Br
recal of his father-in-law from banishment, and for there suppressed an insurrection of the Allobroges
that reason would not go into the provinces of Like the other Roman nobles, he plundered his
Pontus and Bithynia, which had been allotted province, and was defended by Cicero in B. c. 63,
him. He did not, however, live to see the return when he was accused of robbing the Allobroges,
of Cicero, who arrived at Rome on the 4th of Sep- and of executing unjustly a Transpadane Gaul.
tember, B. c. 57. He probably died in the sum- The latter charge was brought against him at the
mer of the same year. lle is frequently mentioned instigation of Caesar ; and Piso, in revenge, im-
by Cicero in terms of gratitude on account of the plored Cicero, but without success, to accuse Caesar
zeal which he had manifested in his behalf during as one of the conspirators of Catiline. Piso must
his banishment. (Cic. ad Alt. ii. 24, in latin. 11, bave died before the breaking out of the civil war,
pro Scst. 24, 31, ad Q. Fr. i. 4, ad Fum. xiv. 1, but in what year is uncertain. Cicero ascribes
2, post Red. in Sen. 15, post Red. ad Quir. 3. ) (Brut. 68) to him considerable oratorical abilities.
13. CN. CALPURNIUS Piso, of whom we know (Plut. Pomp. 25, 27; Dion Cass. xxxvi. 7,
nothing, except that he was consul B. c. 139, with 20–22 ; Ascon. in Cic. Cornel. pp. 68, 75, ed.
M. Popillius Laenas. (Val. Max. i. 3 $ 2. ) Orelli ; Cic. ad Att. 1, 13, pro Flacc. 39; Sall.
14. Q. CALPURNIUS Piso, consul B. c. 135, with Cat. 49. )
Ser. Fulvius Flaccus, was sent against Numantia. He may be the same as the L. Piso, who was
He did not, however, attack the city, but contented judex in the case of Q. Roscius, B. C. 67 (Cic. pro
himself with making a plundering excursion into Rosc. Com. 3, 6), and as the L. Piso, who defended
the territory of Pallantia. (Appian. Hisp. 83; Aebutus against Caecina in 75 (pro Caecin. 12).
Oros. v. 6; Obsequ. 85. )
18. M. Pupius Pisu, consul B. c. 61, belonged
15. CALPU NIUS Piso, of unknown descent, nally to the Calpurnia gens, but was adopted by
praetor about B. c. 135, was defeated by the slaves M. Pupius, when the latter was an old man (Cic. pro
in Sicily. (Flor. iii. 19. )
Dom. 13). He retained, however, his family-name
16. ČALPURNIUS Piso, of whom we know Piso, just as Scipio, after his adoption by Metellus,
nothing, except that he fought with success against was called Metellus Scipio. (METELLUS, No. 22. j
the Thracians, about B. c. 104. (Flor. iii. 4. § 6, There was, however, no occasion for the addition of
iv. 12. $ 17. )
Calpurnianus to his name, as that of Piso showed
17. C. CALPURNIUS Piso, was consul B. C. 67, sufficiently his original family. Piso bad attained
with M'. Acilius Glabrio. He belonged to the some importance as early as the first civil war.
high aristocratical party, and, as consul, led the On the death of L. Cinna, in B. c. 84, he married
opposition to the proposed law of the tribune Ga- his wife Annia, and in the following year, 83, was
binius, by which Pompey was to be entrusted appointed quaestor to the consul L. Scipio ; but he
with extraordinary powers for the purpose of con- quickly deserted this party, and went over to
ducting the war against the pirates. Piso even Sulla, who compelled him to divorce his wife on
went so far as to threaten Pompey's life, telling account of her previous connection with Cinna
bim, “ that if he emulated Romulus, he would not (Cic. Verr. i. 14; Vell. Pat. ii. 41). He failed
escape the end of Romulus," for which imprudent in obtaining the aedileship (Cic. pro Planc. 5, 21),
speech he was nearly torn to pieces by the people. and the year of his praetorship is uncertain. After
The law, however, was carried, notwithstanding all his praetorship he received the province of Spain
the opposition of Piso and his party ; and when with the title of proconsul, and on his return to
shortly afterwards the orders which Pompey had Rome in 69, enjoyed the honour of a triumph,
issued, were not carried into execution in Nar- although it was asserted by some that he had no
honese Gaul, in consequence, as it was supposed, claim to this distinction. (Cic. pro Flacc.
3, in
of the intrigues of Piso, Gabinius proposed to de Pison. 26 ; Ascon. in Pison. p. 15. ) Piso served
prive the latter of his consulship, an extreme mea- in the Mithridatic war as a legatus of Pompey,
sure which Pompey's prudence would not allow to who sent him to Rome in B. c. 62, to become a
be brought forward. Piso had not an easy life in candidate for the consulship, as he was anxious
this consulship. In the same year the tribune, C. obtain the ratification of his acts in Asia, and
Cornelius, proposed several laws, which were di- therefore wished to have one of his friends at the
rected against the shameless abuses of the aristo- head of the state. Piso was accordingly elected
cracy. [Cornelius, Vol. I. p. 857. ] All these Piso consul for the following year, B. C. 61, with M. Va-
resisted with the utmost vehemence, and none lerius Messalla Niger. In his consulship he gave
more strongly than a stringent enactment to put great offence to Cicero, by not asking him first in
down bribery at elections. But as the senate the senate for his opinion, and still further in-
could not with any decency refuse to lend their creased the anger of the orator by taking P. Clo
aid in suppressing this corrupt practice, they pre- dius under his protection after his violation of the
tended that the law of Cornelius was so severe, mysteries of the Bona Dean Cicero revenged
that no accusers would come forward, and no himself on Piso, by preventing him from obtaining
judges would condemn a criminal ; and they there the province of Syria, which had been promised
fore made the consuls bring forward a less stringent him. (Dion Cass. xxxvii
. 44 ; Cic. ad At. i. 12–
law (Ler Acilia Calpurniu), imposing a fine on 18. ) Piso must have died, in all probability, be-
the offender, with exclusion from the senate and fore the breaking out of the second civil war, for
all public offices. It was with no desire to di- in B. c. 47 Antony inhabited his house at Rome.
minish corruption at elections that Piso joined (Cic. Phil
. ii. 25. ) Piso, in his younger days, had
his colleague in proposing the law, for an accusa- so high a reputation as an orator, that Cicero was
tion had been brought against him in the preceding taken to him by his father, in order to receive in-
year of obtaining by bribery his own election to struction from him. He possessed some natural
the consulship.
ability, but was chiefly indebted for his excellence
In B. c. 66 and 65, Piso administered the pro- to study, especially of Greek literature, in the
vince of Narbonese Gaul as proconsul, and while I knowledge of which he surpassed all previous
Prema wa
Els can
Agrandir
leis
is.
܀ "_. - ܬܡ
poate
PE, C, da se
## p. 375 (#391) ############################################
PISO.
375
PISO.
orators. He did not, however, prosecute oratory find the letters Numa), because the Calpurnia
long, partly on account of ill-health, and partly gens claimed descent from Calpus, the son of
because his irritable temper would not submit to Numa (CALPURNIA GENS); the reverse repre-
the rude encounters of the forum. He belonged sents the prow of a ship with the legend MAGN.
to the Peripatetic school in philosophy, in which he (P)Ro. cos. , i. e. (Pompeius) Magnus proconsul.
received instructions from Staseas. (Cic. Brut. 67, (Eckhel, vol. v. p. 160. )
90, de Or. i. 22, de Nat. Deor. i. 7 ; Ascon. l. c. ) 22. CN. CALPURNIUS CN. F. CN. N. Piso,
19. M. Piso, perhaps the son of No. 18, was consul B. c. 23, was, in all probability, the so of
praetor, B. C. 44, when he was praised by Cicero No. 21. He belonged to the high aristocratical
on account of his opposition to Antony. (Phil. party, and was naturally of a proud and imperious
üï. 10. )
temper. He fought against Caesar in Africa, in
20. CN. CALPURNIUS Piso, was a young noble B. c. 46, and after the death of the dictator, joined
who had dissipated his fortune by his extravagance Brutus and Cassius. He was subsequently par-
and profligacy, and being a man of a most daring doned, and returned to Rome ; but he disdained
and unscrupulous character, attempted to improve to ask Augustus for any of the honours of the
his circumstances by a revolution in the state. He state, and was, without solicitation, raised to the
therefore formed with Catiline, in B. C. 66, a con- consulship in B. c. 23. (Tac. Ann. ii. 43, Bell.
spiracy to murder the new consuls when they en- | Afr. 18. ) This Cn. Piso appears to be the same
tered upon their office on the 1st of January in as the Cn. Piso spoken of by Valerius Maximus
the following year. The history of this conspiracy, | (vi. 2. $ 4).
and the manner in which it failed, are related 23. CN. CALPURNIUS CN. F. CN. N. Piso, son of
elsewhere. (CatiLINA, p. 629, b. ) Although no No. 22, inherited all the pride and haughtiness of
doubt was entertained of the existence of the con- his father. He was consul B. c. 7, with Tiberius,
spiracy, still there were not sufficient proofs to the future emperor, and was sent by Augustus as
convict the parties, and they were not therefore legate into Spain, where he made himself hated
brought to trial
. It had been arranged by the by his cruelty and avarice. Tiberius after his ac-
conspirators, that after the murder of the consuls, cession was chiefly jealous of Germanicus, his
Piso was to be despatched, with an army, to seize brother's son, whom he had adopted, and who was
the Spains; and the senate, in order to get rid of idolized both by the soldiery and the people. Ac-
this dangerous agitator, now sent him into Nearer cordingly, when the eastern provinces were as-
Spain as quaestor, but with the rank and title of signed to Germanicus in A. D. 18, Tiberius chose
propraetor. By his removal the senate hoped to Piso as a fit instrument to thwart the plans and
weaken his faction at Rome, and they gave him check the power of Germanicus, and therefore con-
an opportunity of acquiring, by the plunder of the ferred upon him the command of Syria. It was
province, the money of which he was so much in believed that the emperor had given him secret in-
need. His exactions, however, in the province structions to that effect ; and his wife Piancina,
soon made him so hateful to the inhabitants, that who was as proud and haughty as her husband,
he was murdered by them. Some persons, how was urged on by Livia, the mother of the emperor,
ever, supposed that he was murdered at the insti- to vie with and annoy Agrippina. Piso and Plancina
gation of Pompey, who had possessed great influ- fulfilled their mission most completely ; the former
ence in the country ever since the conquest of opposed all the wishes and measures of Germanicus,
Sertorius. Crassus had been in favour of sending and the latter heaped every kind of insult upon
Piso to Spain, that he might, by Piso's means, Agrippina. Germanicus, on his return from Egypt,
persecute the friends of his great enemy and rival, in A. D. 19, found that all his orders had been neg-
Pompey; and it was therefore thought that the lected or disobeyed. Hence arose vehement alter-
latter had revenged himself, by making away with cations between him and Piso ; and when the
the new governor. (Dion Cass. xxxvi. 27 ; Sall
. former fell ill in the autumn of this year, he be-
Cat. 18, 19; Cic. pro Sull. 24, pro Mur. 38 ; | lieved that he had been poisoned by Piso and
Ascon, in Cornel. p. 66, in Tog. Cand. pp. 83, 94. ) | Plancina. Before his death he had ordered Piso
21. Cn. CALPURNIUS Piso, legatus and pro- to quit Syria, and had appointed Cn. Sentius as
quaestor of Pompey in the war against the pirates, his successor. Piso now made an attempt to re-
commanded a division of the fleet at the Helles-cover his province, but the Roman soldiers refused
pont, B. C. 67. He afterwards followed Pompey to obey him, and Sentius drove him out of the
in the Mithridatic war, and was present at the country. Relying on the protection of Tiberius
surrender of Jerusalem in 63. (Appian, Mithr. 95, Piso now went to Rome (A. D. 20); but he was
who erroneously calls him Publius ; Joseph. Ant. received by the people with marks of the utmost
ziv. 4. § 2. ) The following coin commemorates dislike and horror. " Whether Piso had poisoned
the connection of Piso with the war against the Germanicus cannot now be determined ; Tacitus
pirates. The obverse contains the legend cn. piso. candidly admits that there were no proofs of his
PRO. Q, with the head of Numa (on which we having done so ; but the popular belief in his guilt
was so strong that Tiberius could not refuse an in-
vestigation into the matter, which was conducted
by the senate. As it proceeded the emperor
seemed to have made up his mind to sacrifice his
tool to the general indignation ; but before the in-
vestigation came to an end, Piso was found one
morning in his room with his throat cut, and his
ROCOS sword lying by his side. It was generally sup-
posed that, despairing of the emperor's protection,
he had put an end to his own life ; but others be-
COIN OP CN. PISO, PROQUAESTOR, B. c. 67. lieved that Tiberius dreaded his revealing his
CA. M
பறி
D. PRO
INO
B B 4
## p. 376 (#392) ############################################
376
PISO.
PJSO.
het;
secrets, and had accordingly caused him to be put | ward to defend Cn. Piso (No. 23) in A. D. 20, when
to death. The powerful influence of Livia secured so many shrunk from the unpopular office. (Tac.
the acquittal of Plancina for the present. [PLAN- Ann. iii. 11. )
CINA. ] His two sons Cneius and Marcus, the 29.
nounces a glowing eulogy on his virtues and merits. 23 ; Val. Max. iv. 3. $ 10; Appian, Hisp. 99. )
He died, as we have already stated, in A. D. 32, il. L. CALPURNIUS Piso FRUGI, the son of
and was honoured by a decree of the senate, with No. 10, was, like his father and grandfather, a man
a public funeral. He was a pontiff at the time of of honour and integrity. He was a colleague of
his death. The year in which he was appointed Verres in the praetorship, B. C. 74, when he
praefectus urbi has occasioned considerable dispute. thwarted many of the unrighteous schemes of the
Tacitus says that he held the office for twenty latter. (Cic. Verr. i. 46. )
years, but this is opposed to the statements of 12. C. CALPURNIUS Piso FRUGI, a son of No.
Seneca and Tiberius, who place his appointment 11, married Tullia, the daughter of Cicero, in B. C.
much later than Tacitus. It is impossible, however, 63, but was betrothed to her as early as B. c. 67
to come to any definite conclusion on the subject (Cic. ad Att. i. 3). In Caesar's consulship, B. C.
(Dion Cass, liv. 21, 34, lviii. 19 ; Florus, iv. 12 ; 59, Piso was accused by L. Vettius as one of the
Vell. Pat. . 98 ; Tac. Ann. vi. 10, 11 ; Senec. conspirators in the pretended plot against Pompey's
Ep. 83 ; Suet. Tib. 42; Plin. H. N. xiv. 22. s. life. He was quaestor in the following year, B. C.
28). According to Porphyrion it was to this 58, when he used every exertion to obtain the
BB 3
## p. 374 (#390) ############################################
374
PISO.
PISO.
e od
PEL, 1 HD
.
Cara
terier. Ce
tort me
ܝ ܫ
Posta
primer. Br
recal of his father-in-law from banishment, and for there suppressed an insurrection of the Allobroges
that reason would not go into the provinces of Like the other Roman nobles, he plundered his
Pontus and Bithynia, which had been allotted province, and was defended by Cicero in B. c. 63,
him. He did not, however, live to see the return when he was accused of robbing the Allobroges,
of Cicero, who arrived at Rome on the 4th of Sep- and of executing unjustly a Transpadane Gaul.
tember, B. c. 57. He probably died in the sum- The latter charge was brought against him at the
mer of the same year. lle is frequently mentioned instigation of Caesar ; and Piso, in revenge, im-
by Cicero in terms of gratitude on account of the plored Cicero, but without success, to accuse Caesar
zeal which he had manifested in his behalf during as one of the conspirators of Catiline. Piso must
his banishment. (Cic. ad Alt. ii. 24, in latin. 11, bave died before the breaking out of the civil war,
pro Scst. 24, 31, ad Q. Fr. i. 4, ad Fum. xiv. 1, but in what year is uncertain. Cicero ascribes
2, post Red. in Sen. 15, post Red. ad Quir. 3. ) (Brut. 68) to him considerable oratorical abilities.
13. CN. CALPURNIUS Piso, of whom we know (Plut. Pomp. 25, 27; Dion Cass. xxxvi. 7,
nothing, except that he was consul B. c. 139, with 20–22 ; Ascon. in Cic. Cornel. pp. 68, 75, ed.
M. Popillius Laenas. (Val. Max. i. 3 $ 2. ) Orelli ; Cic. ad Att. 1, 13, pro Flacc. 39; Sall.
14. Q. CALPURNIUS Piso, consul B. c. 135, with Cat. 49. )
Ser. Fulvius Flaccus, was sent against Numantia. He may be the same as the L. Piso, who was
He did not, however, attack the city, but contented judex in the case of Q. Roscius, B. C. 67 (Cic. pro
himself with making a plundering excursion into Rosc. Com. 3, 6), and as the L. Piso, who defended
the territory of Pallantia. (Appian. Hisp. 83; Aebutus against Caecina in 75 (pro Caecin. 12).
Oros. v. 6; Obsequ. 85. )
18. M. Pupius Pisu, consul B. c. 61, belonged
15. CALPU NIUS Piso, of unknown descent, nally to the Calpurnia gens, but was adopted by
praetor about B. c. 135, was defeated by the slaves M. Pupius, when the latter was an old man (Cic. pro
in Sicily. (Flor. iii. 19. )
Dom. 13). He retained, however, his family-name
16. ČALPURNIUS Piso, of whom we know Piso, just as Scipio, after his adoption by Metellus,
nothing, except that he fought with success against was called Metellus Scipio. (METELLUS, No. 22. j
the Thracians, about B. c. 104. (Flor. iii. 4. § 6, There was, however, no occasion for the addition of
iv. 12. $ 17. )
Calpurnianus to his name, as that of Piso showed
17. C. CALPURNIUS Piso, was consul B. C. 67, sufficiently his original family. Piso bad attained
with M'. Acilius Glabrio. He belonged to the some importance as early as the first civil war.
high aristocratical party, and, as consul, led the On the death of L. Cinna, in B. c. 84, he married
opposition to the proposed law of the tribune Ga- his wife Annia, and in the following year, 83, was
binius, by which Pompey was to be entrusted appointed quaestor to the consul L. Scipio ; but he
with extraordinary powers for the purpose of con- quickly deserted this party, and went over to
ducting the war against the pirates. Piso even Sulla, who compelled him to divorce his wife on
went so far as to threaten Pompey's life, telling account of her previous connection with Cinna
bim, “ that if he emulated Romulus, he would not (Cic. Verr. i. 14; Vell. Pat. ii. 41). He failed
escape the end of Romulus," for which imprudent in obtaining the aedileship (Cic. pro Planc. 5, 21),
speech he was nearly torn to pieces by the people. and the year of his praetorship is uncertain. After
The law, however, was carried, notwithstanding all his praetorship he received the province of Spain
the opposition of Piso and his party ; and when with the title of proconsul, and on his return to
shortly afterwards the orders which Pompey had Rome in 69, enjoyed the honour of a triumph,
issued, were not carried into execution in Nar- although it was asserted by some that he had no
honese Gaul, in consequence, as it was supposed, claim to this distinction. (Cic. pro Flacc.
3, in
of the intrigues of Piso, Gabinius proposed to de Pison. 26 ; Ascon. in Pison. p. 15. ) Piso served
prive the latter of his consulship, an extreme mea- in the Mithridatic war as a legatus of Pompey,
sure which Pompey's prudence would not allow to who sent him to Rome in B. c. 62, to become a
be brought forward. Piso had not an easy life in candidate for the consulship, as he was anxious
this consulship. In the same year the tribune, C. obtain the ratification of his acts in Asia, and
Cornelius, proposed several laws, which were di- therefore wished to have one of his friends at the
rected against the shameless abuses of the aristo- head of the state. Piso was accordingly elected
cracy. [Cornelius, Vol. I. p. 857. ] All these Piso consul for the following year, B. C. 61, with M. Va-
resisted with the utmost vehemence, and none lerius Messalla Niger. In his consulship he gave
more strongly than a stringent enactment to put great offence to Cicero, by not asking him first in
down bribery at elections. But as the senate the senate for his opinion, and still further in-
could not with any decency refuse to lend their creased the anger of the orator by taking P. Clo
aid in suppressing this corrupt practice, they pre- dius under his protection after his violation of the
tended that the law of Cornelius was so severe, mysteries of the Bona Dean Cicero revenged
that no accusers would come forward, and no himself on Piso, by preventing him from obtaining
judges would condemn a criminal ; and they there the province of Syria, which had been promised
fore made the consuls bring forward a less stringent him. (Dion Cass. xxxvii
. 44 ; Cic. ad At. i. 12–
law (Ler Acilia Calpurniu), imposing a fine on 18. ) Piso must have died, in all probability, be-
the offender, with exclusion from the senate and fore the breaking out of the second civil war, for
all public offices. It was with no desire to di- in B. c. 47 Antony inhabited his house at Rome.
minish corruption at elections that Piso joined (Cic. Phil
. ii. 25. ) Piso, in his younger days, had
his colleague in proposing the law, for an accusa- so high a reputation as an orator, that Cicero was
tion had been brought against him in the preceding taken to him by his father, in order to receive in-
year of obtaining by bribery his own election to struction from him. He possessed some natural
the consulship.
ability, but was chiefly indebted for his excellence
In B. c. 66 and 65, Piso administered the pro- to study, especially of Greek literature, in the
vince of Narbonese Gaul as proconsul, and while I knowledge of which he surpassed all previous
Prema wa
Els can
Agrandir
leis
is.
܀ "_. - ܬܡ
poate
PE, C, da se
## p. 375 (#391) ############################################
PISO.
375
PISO.
orators. He did not, however, prosecute oratory find the letters Numa), because the Calpurnia
long, partly on account of ill-health, and partly gens claimed descent from Calpus, the son of
because his irritable temper would not submit to Numa (CALPURNIA GENS); the reverse repre-
the rude encounters of the forum. He belonged sents the prow of a ship with the legend MAGN.
to the Peripatetic school in philosophy, in which he (P)Ro. cos. , i. e. (Pompeius) Magnus proconsul.
received instructions from Staseas. (Cic. Brut. 67, (Eckhel, vol. v. p. 160. )
90, de Or. i. 22, de Nat. Deor. i. 7 ; Ascon. l. c. ) 22. CN. CALPURNIUS CN. F. CN. N. Piso,
19. M. Piso, perhaps the son of No. 18, was consul B. c. 23, was, in all probability, the so of
praetor, B. C. 44, when he was praised by Cicero No. 21. He belonged to the high aristocratical
on account of his opposition to Antony. (Phil. party, and was naturally of a proud and imperious
üï. 10. )
temper. He fought against Caesar in Africa, in
20. CN. CALPURNIUS Piso, was a young noble B. c. 46, and after the death of the dictator, joined
who had dissipated his fortune by his extravagance Brutus and Cassius. He was subsequently par-
and profligacy, and being a man of a most daring doned, and returned to Rome ; but he disdained
and unscrupulous character, attempted to improve to ask Augustus for any of the honours of the
his circumstances by a revolution in the state. He state, and was, without solicitation, raised to the
therefore formed with Catiline, in B. C. 66, a con- consulship in B. c. 23. (Tac. Ann. ii. 43, Bell.
spiracy to murder the new consuls when they en- | Afr. 18. ) This Cn. Piso appears to be the same
tered upon their office on the 1st of January in as the Cn. Piso spoken of by Valerius Maximus
the following year. The history of this conspiracy, | (vi. 2. $ 4).
and the manner in which it failed, are related 23. CN. CALPURNIUS CN. F. CN. N. Piso, son of
elsewhere. (CatiLINA, p. 629, b. ) Although no No. 22, inherited all the pride and haughtiness of
doubt was entertained of the existence of the con- his father. He was consul B. c. 7, with Tiberius,
spiracy, still there were not sufficient proofs to the future emperor, and was sent by Augustus as
convict the parties, and they were not therefore legate into Spain, where he made himself hated
brought to trial
. It had been arranged by the by his cruelty and avarice. Tiberius after his ac-
conspirators, that after the murder of the consuls, cession was chiefly jealous of Germanicus, his
Piso was to be despatched, with an army, to seize brother's son, whom he had adopted, and who was
the Spains; and the senate, in order to get rid of idolized both by the soldiery and the people. Ac-
this dangerous agitator, now sent him into Nearer cordingly, when the eastern provinces were as-
Spain as quaestor, but with the rank and title of signed to Germanicus in A. D. 18, Tiberius chose
propraetor. By his removal the senate hoped to Piso as a fit instrument to thwart the plans and
weaken his faction at Rome, and they gave him check the power of Germanicus, and therefore con-
an opportunity of acquiring, by the plunder of the ferred upon him the command of Syria. It was
province, the money of which he was so much in believed that the emperor had given him secret in-
need. His exactions, however, in the province structions to that effect ; and his wife Piancina,
soon made him so hateful to the inhabitants, that who was as proud and haughty as her husband,
he was murdered by them. Some persons, how was urged on by Livia, the mother of the emperor,
ever, supposed that he was murdered at the insti- to vie with and annoy Agrippina. Piso and Plancina
gation of Pompey, who had possessed great influ- fulfilled their mission most completely ; the former
ence in the country ever since the conquest of opposed all the wishes and measures of Germanicus,
Sertorius. Crassus had been in favour of sending and the latter heaped every kind of insult upon
Piso to Spain, that he might, by Piso's means, Agrippina. Germanicus, on his return from Egypt,
persecute the friends of his great enemy and rival, in A. D. 19, found that all his orders had been neg-
Pompey; and it was therefore thought that the lected or disobeyed. Hence arose vehement alter-
latter had revenged himself, by making away with cations between him and Piso ; and when the
the new governor. (Dion Cass. xxxvi. 27 ; Sall
. former fell ill in the autumn of this year, he be-
Cat. 18, 19; Cic. pro Sull. 24, pro Mur. 38 ; | lieved that he had been poisoned by Piso and
Ascon, in Cornel. p. 66, in Tog. Cand. pp. 83, 94. ) | Plancina. Before his death he had ordered Piso
21. Cn. CALPURNIUS Piso, legatus and pro- to quit Syria, and had appointed Cn. Sentius as
quaestor of Pompey in the war against the pirates, his successor. Piso now made an attempt to re-
commanded a division of the fleet at the Helles-cover his province, but the Roman soldiers refused
pont, B. C. 67. He afterwards followed Pompey to obey him, and Sentius drove him out of the
in the Mithridatic war, and was present at the country. Relying on the protection of Tiberius
surrender of Jerusalem in 63. (Appian, Mithr. 95, Piso now went to Rome (A. D. 20); but he was
who erroneously calls him Publius ; Joseph. Ant. received by the people with marks of the utmost
ziv. 4. § 2. ) The following coin commemorates dislike and horror. " Whether Piso had poisoned
the connection of Piso with the war against the Germanicus cannot now be determined ; Tacitus
pirates. The obverse contains the legend cn. piso. candidly admits that there were no proofs of his
PRO. Q, with the head of Numa (on which we having done so ; but the popular belief in his guilt
was so strong that Tiberius could not refuse an in-
vestigation into the matter, which was conducted
by the senate. As it proceeded the emperor
seemed to have made up his mind to sacrifice his
tool to the general indignation ; but before the in-
vestigation came to an end, Piso was found one
morning in his room with his throat cut, and his
ROCOS sword lying by his side. It was generally sup-
posed that, despairing of the emperor's protection,
he had put an end to his own life ; but others be-
COIN OP CN. PISO, PROQUAESTOR, B. c. 67. lieved that Tiberius dreaded his revealing his
CA. M
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D. PRO
INO
B B 4
## p. 376 (#392) ############################################
376
PISO.
PJSO.
het;
secrets, and had accordingly caused him to be put | ward to defend Cn. Piso (No. 23) in A. D. 20, when
to death. The powerful influence of Livia secured so many shrunk from the unpopular office. (Tac.
the acquittal of Plancina for the present. [PLAN- Ann. iii. 11. )
CINA. ] His two sons Cneius and Marcus, the 29.
