Clodius Pulcher, Publius

Clodius Pulcher, Publius

(born c. 92—died January, 52 BC, Bovillae, Latium) Roman politician. While fighting against Mithradates, he stirred up mutiny among the troops (68–67). In 62 he was accused of disguising himself as a female harpist to infiltrate a women's festival at Julius Caesar's house. Though Cicero gave damaging evidence against him, he was acquitted, but Caesar divorced his wife because she was alleged to have admitted Clodius to the ceremony. As tribune (58), Clodius passed laws to punish Cicero for executing without trial those implicated in Catiline's conspiracy, and Clodius had Cicero outlawed. Clodius's political partisans engaged in street fighting that disrupted Roman elections for several years. He was killed by another faction in a running brawl on the Appian Way.