Cato the Elder

Marcus Porcius Cato
The bust thought to be of Cato the Elder
Consul of the Roman Republic
In office 195 BC – 195 BC Serving with Lucius Valerius Flaccus
Preceded by	Lucius Furius Purpuero and Marcus Claudius Marcellus
Succeeded by	Tiberius Semprionius Longus and Scipio Africanus
Personal details
Born	234 BC Tusculum, Roman Republic
Died	149 BC (age 85) Roman Republic
Spouse(s)	Licinia Salonia
Children	Marcus Licinianus Cato Salonianus
Religion	Roman polytheism
Military service
Allegiance	Roman Republic
Rank	General
Battles/wars	Second Punic War Roman-Syrian War

Cato the Elder (Latin: Cato Major; 234 BC – 149 BC), born Marcus Porcius Cato and also known as Cato the Censor (Cato Censorius), Cato the Wise (Cato Sapiens), and Cato the Ancient (Cato Priscus), was a Roman senator and historian known for his conservatism and opposition to Hellenization. He was the first to write history in Latin.

He came of an ancient Plebeian family who were noted for their military service. Like his forefathers, Cato was devoted to agriculture when not serving in the army. Having attracted the attention of Lucius Valerius Flaccus, he was brought to Rome and began to follow the cursus honorum: he was successively military tribune (214 BC), quaestor (204 BC), aedile (199 BC), praetor (198 BC), junior consul (195 BC) together with Flaccus, and censor (184 BC). As praetor, he expelled usurers from Sardinia. As censor, he tried to preserve Rome's ancestral customs and combat "degenerate" Hellenistic influences. His epithet "Elder" distinguishes him from his equally famous great-grandson Cato the Younger, who opposed Julius Caesar.