Verres, Gaius

Verres, Gaius

(born c. 115—died 43 BC) Roman magistrate. As quaestor, Verres embezzled funds. He helped the governor of Cilicia, Gaius Dolabella, plunder the province (80–78), and then he helped convict Dolabella at Rome. He became praetor by bribery and abused his power. As governor of Sicily (73–71) his corruption was extreme; he was prosecuted so effectively by Cicero (70) that his lawyer had no reply. He fled into exile but was murdered, perhaps at the orders of Mark Antony, who then acquired his art collection.