Publius Mucius Scaevola

Publius Mucius Scaevola was a prominent Roman politician and jurist who was consul in 133 BC. In his earlier political career he served as tribune of the plebs in 141 BC and praetor in 136 BC. He also held the position of pontifex maximus for sixteen years after his consulship. He died around 115 BC. Scaevola was consul at the time of Tiberius Gracchus' tribuneship and murder, and was heavily involved in reconciling the Senate following Gracchus' death. According to Cicero, Scaevola supported Gracchus' land reforms (Lex Sempronia Agraria), but the extent of his involvement has been debated by some historians. Family Publius belonged to the gens Mucia, a noble plebeian family of Rome, of which the Scaevolae were the main branch. Several Scaevolae appear in Roman magistracies before the appearance of Publius Mucius, including a certain Publius Mucius Scaevola who served as a tribune of the plebs in 486 BC and a Publius Mutius Scaevola—who, while not of the same branch, clearly belongs to the Scaevola clan—who held the Tribunate of the Soldiers in the same year, suggesting the Scaevola family was an entrenched Republican family of senatorial class from at least 486 BC. In legend the Scaevolas draw their name from a Gaius Mucius Scaevola of 508 BC who supposedly attempted to assassinate the Etruscan king of Clusium, Lars Porsena and upon killing his secretary due to a mix up in interpreting Etruscan dress, thrust his arm into a brazier and declared that 300 young men like him would come for Porsena, leading to the king's withdrawal out of fear for his personal safety. Publius Mucius Scaevola had a father of the same name, who was consul in 175 BC with Marcus Aemilius Lepidus. Scaevola served as pontifex maximus following his younger brother Publius Licinius Crassus Dives Mucianus's death. Mucianus was elected consul along with high priest Lucius Valerius Flaccus in 131 BC, after previously serving as Pontifex Maximus in 132 BC.