Popillius Laenas, Gaius
- Peter Sidney Derow
Extract
Gaius Popillius Laenas, praetor 175 bce, consul 172 and 158. In his first consulship he was instrumental in sabotaging the attempts of the senate to deal with his brother Marcus (consul 173) after exception was taken to the latter's enslavement of *Ligurians. After serving in Greece under A. Hostilius Mancinus (consul 170) in both military and diplomatic capacities (170–169), he led an embassy which compelled *Antiochus (4) IV to withdraw his army from Egypt (168): Popillius drew a circle in the sand around the king and demanded that he signal obedience or disobedience to Rome's behest before stepping outside it.
