Gratidianus

the son of M. Gratidius [No. 1], but his name shows that he was adopted by one Marius, probably a brother of the great Marius. He was a very popular speaker, and able to maintain his ground even in very turbulent assemblies. Owing to his popularity, he was twice invested with the praetorship, and in one of them he proposed an edict concerning the coinage (edictum de re nummaria), which raised his favour with the people still higher. During the proscriptions of Sulla, he was killed by Catiline in a most cruel and brutal manner, and his head was carried in triumph through the city. Cicero was connected with him by intimate friendship. (Cic. Brut. 62, de Leg. 3.16, de Off. 3.16, 20, de Petit. Cons. 3, de Orat. 1.39, 2.65; Ascon. in Cic in tog. cand. p. 84, ed. Orelli; Senec. de Ira, 3 Plin. Nat. 33.9.) [L.S]