Decius Metellus

Decius Caecilius Metellus the Younger is a fictional character created by author John Maddox Roberts, the protagonist of Roberts's SPQR series of historical mystery novels. A Roman Senator during the waning days of the Roman Republic, Decius solves mysteries, while at the same time working his way steadily up the cursus honorum. 'Decius' is, nonetheless, an impossible Praenomen for the Republican period; the author may have been thinking of 'Decimus'.

The SPQR series takes the form of Decius's memoirs, written during the reign of Augustus Caesar, when he has outlived all his friends and enemies, and no longer cares whom he offends or what anyone might do to him.

Born in 95 BC into the prominent Caecilii Metelli family, a (fictional) nephew of Metellus Pius, Decius began his career serving as a military legate and scout commander, in the civil war against Quintus Sertorius, during which he receives a scar from an Iberian spear.

He holds several political and judicial offices in the turbulent days leading up to the Roman Civil War. He becomes an ally of Cicero, a reluctant ally of Cato the Younger, a close friend of Titus Annius Milo, and a mortal enemy of Publius Clodius Pulcher. He later marries Julia, the (fictional) niece of Julius Caesar (by a lucky accident, the political marriage desired by his family coincides with his and Julia's own wishes).

Immediately before the Civil War, he is touring southern Italy as praetor peregrinus (a sort of roving magistrate who adjudicates cases related to resident non-citizens).

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