Extract

Aemilius, Marcus, was a member of the embassy sent to the east in 201–200 bce, during the course of which he delivered the Roman ultimatum to *Philip (3) V at Abydos; the story (Val. Max. 6. 6. 1; Just. 30. 3. 4) that he was sent to Egypt as tutor (guardian) to the young Ptolemy (1) V should be rejected, though it is true that Lepidus later developed close ties with Egypt. He was curule aedile in 193, praetor in Sicily in 191, and reached the consulship in 187, having been defeated in the two previous years, due, he believed, to the influence of his bitter opponent M. *Fulvius Nobilior. As consul he attacked Fulvius' conduct at Ambracia and attempted to block his triumph. He fought successfully in Liguria, and built the *via Aemilia from *Placentia (Piacenza) to *Ariminum (Rimini)—the modern region of Emilia Romagna through which it runs preserves his name. He returned to the area in 183 as a commissioner to found the colonies of *Mutina (Modena) and *Parma.