Lucius Licinius Crassus
| Lucius Licinius Crassus | |
|---|---|
| Consul of the Roman Republic | |
|
In office 1 January 95 BC – 31 December 95 BC Serving with Quintus Mucius Scaevola Pontifex |
|
| Preceded by |
Gaius Cassius Longinus and Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus |
| Succeeded by |
Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus and Gaius Coelius Caldus |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 140 BC Rome |
| Died | September 91 BC |
| Political party | Optimates |
| Spouse(s) | Mucia (daughter of Q. Mucius Scaevola Augur) |
| Children |
|
| Religion | Roman polytheism |
Lucius Licinius Crassus (140 BC – 91 BC), sometimes referred to simply as Crassus Orator, was a Roman orator, consul, and statesman. He was considered the greatest orator of his day, most notably by his pupil Cicero. Crassus is also famous as one of the main characters in Cicero's work the De Oratore, a dramatic dialogue on the art of oratory set just before Crassus' death in 91 BC.
Lucius Licinius Crassus was born in 140 BC. It is not known exactly which Licinius Crassus his father was, as there are a number of similarly-named Licinii Crassi active in the mid-second century BC. However, prosopographical investigation by scholars has established that he must have been a grandson of C. Licinius Crassus, the consul of 168 who marched his army from Gallia Cisalpina to Macedonia against the will of the Senate. Presumably therefore, one of this Crassus' sons must have been the father of Lucius.
Lucius was taught at a young age by the Roman historian and jurist L. Coelius Antipater. He also studied law under two eminent statesmen, both of whom were from branches of the Mucii Scaevolae gens: P. Mucius Scaevola (the father of Crassus' colleague as consul, Q. Mucius Scaevola 'Pontifex'); and Q. Mucius Scaevola Augur. The latter was still alive in the year of Crassus' death (91 BC), and appears alongside Crassus as a character in Cicero's De Oratore; he was also the father of Crassus' wife, Mucia.
When aged only 21, Crassus shot to fame in 119 BC for his prosecution of the proconsul C. Papirius Carbo, who committed suicide rather than face the inevitable guilty verdict. From this point on, Crassus was recognised as one of the foremost orators in Rome.
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