Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology/Figulus, Marcius
FI'GULUS, MA'RCIUS. 1. C. Marcius C. f. Q. n. Figulus, consul in b. c. 162. During the comitia for his election the leader of the centuria praerogativa died, and the haruspices declared the election void. Tib. Sempronius Gracchus, however, the consul who presided at the comitia, maintained their validity, and Figulus departed to his province, Cisalpine Gaul. But afterwards Gracchus wrote to the senate that he had himself committed an error in taking the auspices, and Figulus resigned the consulship. (Cic. de Nat. Deor. ii. 4, de Divin. ii. 35, ad Q. Frat. ii. 2; Val. Max. i. 1. § 3; Plut. Marcell. 5; Jul. Obseq. 74; Fast. Cap.) Figulus was again consul in b. c. 156. His province was the war with the Dalmatae in Illyricum. At first he allowed his camp to be forced by the Dalmatae, but afterwards, in a winter campaign, he successively took their smaller towns, and finally their capital, Delminium. (Polyb. xxxii. 24; Appian, Illyr. 11; Liv. Epit. xlvii.; Florus, iv. 12.)
2. C. Marcius Figulus, the son of the preceding, a jurist of great reputation, was an unsuccessful candidate for the consulship. (Val. Max. ix. 3. § 2.)
3. C. Marcius C. f. C. n. Figulus, consul in b. c. 64. In the debate on the sentence of Catiline's accomplices he declared for capital punishment (Cic. ad Att. xii. 21), and approved of Cicero's measures generally (Philipp. ii. 11.). In his consulship the senate abolished several illegal collegia, as prejudicial to the freedom of the comitia and to the public peace. (Ascon. in Pison. p. 7, ed. Orelli.) His tomb was of unusual costliness (Cic. de Leg. ii. 25).