Publius Licinius Crassus Dives Mucianus

Who was Publius Licinius Crassus Dives Mucianus?

Publius Licinius Crassus Dives Mucianus was the son by blood of Publius Mucius Scaevola, the consul of 175 BC, and brother of Publius Mucius Scaevola. He was adopted at an unknown date by a son of the consul of 205 BC, Publius Licinus Crassus Dives.

Mucianus became Pontifex Maximus in 132 BC after the death of the exiled Pontifex Publius Cornelius Scipio Nasica Serapio. In 131 BC he was elected consul along with Lucius Valerius Flaccus, the flamen Martialis. Mucianus forbade his colleague to fight against Aristonicus and fined him for neglecting his sacred duties. The people remitted the fine but wished Flaccus to submit to his religious superior. Mucianus, nevertheless, went to fight Aristonicus, who had occupied the kingdom of Pergamum, after it had been left to Rome in the will of Attalus; he was the first Pontifex Maximus to voluntarily leave Italy. Crassus Mucianus met with defeat against Aristonicus, and while retreating, he was overtaken by the enemy and stabbed to death; according to one source, he deliberately refused to reveal his identity to avoid the humiliation of being captured alive.