Manius Pomponius Matho

Who is Manius Pomponius Matho?

Manius Pomponius M.f. M.n. Matho was a Roman consul and general who was elected consul for the year 233 BC with Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosses, later called Cunctator. He was also the maternal grandfather of the general and statesman Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus Major.

During his consulship, Matho carried on war against the Sardinians, and was granted a triumph for his victory over them. However, this victory was incomplete, because the war was carried on by his brother Marcus, who was a consul in 231 BC.

In 217 BC, he was apparently chosen magister equitum to the dictator, Lucius Veturius Philo, and was elected praetor for the following year, 216 BC. There seems no reason for believing that the Matho, praetor of this year, was a different person from the consul of 233 BC, as the Romans were now at war with Hannibal, and were therefore anxious to appoint to the great offices of the state generals who had had experience in war. The lot, however, did not give any military command to Matho, but the jurisdictio inter ewes Romanos et peregrines.