Quintus Pedius

Who was Quintus Pedius?

Quintus Pedius was a Roman who lived during the late Roman Republic. He was the son of a Marcus or Quintus Pedius and nephew or great nephew of the Roman dictator Julius Caesar.

Pedius in 57 BC served as a general during Caesar’s conquest of Gaul. In 55 BC, he lost an election for the office of aedile.

During the Roman Civil War between Caesar and Pompey in 49 BC, Pedius allied himself with Caesar. In 48 BC, Pedius was promoted to the praetorship in Rome. In that same year, he commanded a legion and successfully quelled an anti-Caesarean uprising at Compsa, resulting in the deaths of both Marcus Caelius Rufus and Titus Annius Milo, who had been leading the ill-fated revolt. In early 45 BC, Pedius served as a legatus against Sextus Pompeius in Spain. Pedius claimed victory against Sextus Pompeius and returned to Rome with Caesar. Caesar honored him with a triumph parade and gave him the title of proconsul.

Caesar was assassinated in Rome of March 44 BC. In Caesar’s will, Pedius was named as one of his heirs. Like his cousin Lucius Pinarius, he was to receive one eighth of Caesar’s legacy, but he renounced the inheritance in favor of Caesar’s main heir, Pedius’ cousin Octavian. In August 43 BC, Octavian with Pedius were elected as consuls after marching on Rome with an army.