Publius Licinius Crassus

Who is Publius Licinius Crassus?

Publius Licinius Crassus was Roman consul for year 171 BC, together with Gaius Cassius Longinus.

He was the son of Gaius Licinius Varus, possibly related to the Gaius Licinius Varus who was consul in 236 BC and who was still alive in 219 BC. Crassus's brother was Gaius Licinius Crassus, and his nephew was Gaius Licinius Crassus, tribune of the plebs in about 145 BC. However, his relationship to the consuls Licinius Varus and the Pontifex Maximus Publius Licinius Crassus are not known.

Licinius adopted as his son and his heir, his sister Licinia's second son Publius Licinius Crassus Dives Mucianus. This son was born a Mucius Scaevola, son of another consul Publius Mucius Scaevola, who attained the consulship in 175 BC, and who was brother of another consul and son of a praetor who had died in the Second Punic War. It was the adoptive son who also became a Pontifex Maximus and who was a political ally of the Gracchi.