A story told by Plutarch tells of Silo, who made a visit to his friend Marcus Livius and met the children of the house. In a playful mood he asked the children's support for his cause. All of them nodded and smiled except Cato the Younger, who stared at the guest with most suspicious looks. Silo demanded an answer from him and seeing no response took Cato and hung him by the feet out of the window. Even then, Cato would not say anything.   After Drusus's murder, the Social War started and Silo became the military leader of the Marsii. At the start of the War, twelve Italian tribes formed Italia  and Silo was elected one of two Italian consuls. Silo was given command of the Marsic group (Marsi, Paeligni, Vestini, Marrucini, Picentes, Frentani), whereas his consular colleague Gaius Papius Mutilus was given command of the Samnite group. Silo had successes in the early stages of the war , amongst which the defeat and death of Quintus Servilius Caepio the Younger, but after ]  the fortunes of war turned , he was killed in battle in 88 BC by Drusus's brother Mamercus Aemilius Lepidus Livianus.   Fiction Silo appears as a supporting character in the first two novels of Colleen McCullough's Masters of Rome series; The First Man in Rome and The Grass Crown. 
A story told by Plutarch tells of Silo, who made a visit to his friend Marcus Livius and met the children of the house. In a playful mood he asked the children's support for his cause. All of them nodded and smiled except Cato the Younger, who stared at the guest with most suspicious looks. Silo demanded an answer from him and seeing no response took Cato and hung him by the feet out of the window. Even then, Cato would not say anything. Plutarch, Life of Cato the Younger, 2. In 91 BC, Poppaedius led 10,000 Marsi in a march on Rome to support Drusus' pro-Italian legislation.Philip Matyszak, Cataclysm 90 BC, p. 58. They were met by Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, the Pontifex Maximus, who persuaded them to go back.Lynda Telford, Sulla, p.85. After Drusus's murder, the Social War started and Silo became the military leader of the Marsii. At the start of the War, twelve Italian tribes formed Italia , their own state in Italy (as an alternative to the Roman Republic), and Silo was elected one of two Italian consuls. Silo was given command of the Marsic group (Marsi, Paeligni, Vestini, Marrucini, Picentes, Frentani), whereas his consular colleague Gaius Papius Mutilus was given command of the Samnite group. During the second year of the war (90 BC) he tricked and ambushed the Roman praetor Quintus Servilius Caepio and slaughtered his army.Philip Matyszak, Cataclysm 90 BC, pp 94-95; Appian, Civil Wars, 1.44. Poppaedius is said to have killed Caepio himself.Lynda Telford, Sulla: A Dictator Reconsidered, p. 89. He then went after Caepio's co-commander Gaius Marius, Rome's most experienced general, but was unable to force a decisive engagement.Philip Matyszak, Cataclysm 90 BC, pp 101-102. This lead Poppaedius to challenge Marius: 'So if you are such a great general, Marius, why not come down from your fortifications] and fight it out?' To this Marius retorted 'Well, if you think you are any good a general, why don't you try to make me?'Plutarch, Life of Marius, 33 During 89 BC the fortunes of war turned against the Italian rebels. Poppaedius, now fighting in Samnium, recaptured the Samnite capital Bovianum which had been taken by Lucius Cornelius Sulla.Philip Matyszak, Cataclysm 90 BC, p. 108. After Bovianum he tried to eject the Romans from Apulia where he was killed in battle by Drusus's brother Mamercus Aemilius Lepidus Livianus. Thomas Broughton, The Magistrates of the Roman Republic, vol II, p. 42; Philip Matyszak, Cataclysm 90 BC, p. 108. Quintus Poppaedius Silo was called the 'heart and soul' of the rebellion.Philip Matyszak, Cataclysm 90 BC, p. 66 and p. 108; Smiths, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography, p. 3158. Fiction Silo appears as a supporting character in the first two novels of Colleen McCullough's Masters of Rome series; The First Man in Rome and The Grass Crown. Notes
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Plutarch, Life of Cato the Younger, 2.
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In 91 BC, Poppaedius led 10,000 Marsi in a march on Rome to support Drusus' pro-Italian legislation.Philip Matyszak, Cataclysm 90 BC, p. 58. They were met by Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, the Pontifex Maximus, who persuaded them to go back.Lynda Telford, Sulla, p.85.
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, their own state in Italy (as an alternative to the Roman Republic),
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Silo had successes in the early stages
During the second year
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, amongst which the defeat and death of
(90 BC) he tricked and ambushed the Roman praetor
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the Younger, but after
and slaughtered his army.Philip Matyszak, Cataclysm 90 BC, pp 94-95; Appian, Civil Wars, 1.44. Poppaedius is said to have killed Caepio himself.Lynda Telford, Sulla: A Dictator Reconsidered, p. 89. He then went after Caepio's co-commander Gaius Marius, Rome's most experienced general, but was unable to force a decisive engagement.Philip Matyszak, Cataclysm 90 BC, pp 101-102. This lead Poppaedius to challenge Marius: 'So if you are such a great general, Marius, why not come down
A
from your fortifications
A
and fight it out?' To this Marius retorted 'Well, if you think you are any good a general, why don't you try to make me?'Plutarch, Life of Marius, 33 During 89 BC
R
, he
against the Italian rebels. Poppaedius, now fighting in Samnium, recaptured the Samnite capital Bovianum which had been taken by Lucius Cornelius Sulla.Philip Matyszak, Cataclysm 90 BC, p. 108. After Bovianum he tried to eject the Romans from Apulia where he
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in 88 BC
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Thomas Broughton, The Magistrates of the Roman Republic, vol II, p. 42; Philip Matyszak, Cataclysm 90 BC, p. 108.
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Quintus Poppaedius Silo was called the 'heart and soul' of the rebellion.Philip Matyszak, Cataclysm 90 BC, p. 66 and p. 108; Smiths, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography, p. 3158.
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Notes