Marcus Petreius (110-April 46 BC) was a Roman politician and general who served as one of Pompey's commanders during Caesar's Civil War.
Biography[]
Marcus Petreius was born in Picenum, Italia, Roman Republic in 110 BC, and he was the first member of his family to serve in the Roman Senate. He had achieved the ranks of military tribune, prefect, and legate by 62 BC (including service under Pompeius Strabo during the Social War and under Pompey in Spain), and he served as praetor in 64 BC. In 62 BC, he defeated Catiline's rebel army at Pistoria, ending the Catiline Conspiracy. In 59 BC, he allied with Cato the Younger against Julius Caesar, and, in 55 BC, he and Lucius Afranius became legates in Spain, serving as Pompey's lieutenants during Pompey's absence in Rome. During Caesar's Civil War, Petreius and Afranius marched against Caesar, but they were defeated at the Battle of Ilerda. Caesar pardoned the two generals, who rejoined Pompey and were again defeated at the Battle of Pharsalus. The two men then fled to North Africa, and they decided to commit suicide following their defeat at the Battle of Thapsus. Petreius killed Juba I of Numidia in a duel before Petreius had a slave kill him.