Marcus Aemilius Lepidus (triumvir)

Marcus Aemilius Lepidus
Coin depicting Lepidus. The inscription is "III VIR R P C LEPIDUS PONT MAX", shorter for "tresviri rei publicae constituendae Lepidus Pontifex Maximus", meaning "One of Three Men for the Regulation of the Republic, Lepidus, Chief Pontiff".
Triumvir of the Roman Republic
In office 27 November 43 BC – 22 September 36 BC Serving with Octavian and Mark Antony
Consul of the Roman Republic
In office 1 January 46 BC – 31 December 46 BC Serving with Julius Caesar
Preceded by	Quintus Fufius Calenus and Publius Vatinius
Succeeded by	Julius Caesar
Consul of the Roman Republic
In office 1 January 42 BC – 31 December 42 BC Serving with Lucius Munatius Plancus
Preceded by	Gaius Vibius Pansa Caetronianus and Aulus Hirtius
Succeeded by	Lucius Antonius and Publius Servilius Vatia Isauricus
Pontifex Maximus
In office 44 BC – 13 BC
Preceded by	Julius Caesar
Succeeded by	Augustus
Personal details
Born	88–89 BC Rome, Roman Republic
Died	13 BC San Felice Circeo
Spouse(s)	Junia Secunda
Children	Lepidus the Younger
Religion	Roman Paganism
Military service
Allegiance	Roman Republic
Service/branch	Roman Army
Years of service	48–36 BC
Rank	Proconsul
Battles/wars	Post-Caesarian Civil War Perusine War Sicilian revolt

Marcus Aemilius Lepidus (Latin: M·AEMILIVS·M·F·Q·N·LEPIDVS), (born c. 89 or 88 BC, died late 13 or early 12 BC) was a Roman patrician who was triumvir with Octavian (the future Augustus) and Mark Antony, and the last Pontifex Maximus of the Roman Republic. Lepidus had previously been a close ally of Julius Caesar.

Though he was an able military commander and proved a useful partisan of Caesar, Lepidus has always been portrayed as the weakest member of the triumvirate. He typically appears as a marginalised figure in depictions of the events of the era, most notably in Shakespeare's plays. While some scholars have endorsed this view, others argue that the evidence is insufficient to discount the distorting effects of propaganda by his opponents, principally Cicero and, later, Augustus.

Lepidus was the son of Marcus Aemilius Lepidus; his mother may have been a daughter of Lucius Appuleius Saturninus. His brother was Lucius Aemilius Lepidus Paullus. His father was the first leader of the revived populares faction after the death of Sulla, and led an unsuccessful rebellion against the optimates.

Lepidus married Junia Secunda, sister of Marcus Junius Brutus and Junia Tertia, Cassius Longinus's wife. Lepidus and Junia Secunda had at least one child, Marcus Aemilius Lepidus the Younger.