1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Milo, Titus Annius

14740111911 Encyclopædia Britannica, Volume 18 — Milo, Titus Annius

MILO, TITUS ANNIUS, Roman political agitator, was the son of C. Papius Celsus, but was adopted by his mother’s father, T. Annius Luscus. He joined the Pompeian party, and organized bands of mercenaries and gladiators to support the cause by public violence in opposition to P. Clodius, who gave similar support to the democratic cause. Milo was tribune of the plebs in 57 BC. He took a prominent part in bringing about the recall of Cicero from exile, in spite of the opposition of Clodius. In 53, when Milo was candidate for the consulship and Clodius for the praetorship, the two leaders met by accident on the Appian Way at Bovillae and Clodius was murdered (January 52). Milo was impeached; his guilt was clear, and his enemies took every means of intimidating his supporters and his judges. Cicero was aftaid to speak, and the extant Pro Milone is an expanded form of the unspoken defence. Milo went into exile at Massilia, and his property was sold by auction. He joined M. Caelius Rufus in 48 in his rising against Caesar, but was slain near Thurii in Lucania. His wife was Fausta, daughter of the dictator Sulla.