BIBULUS, MARCUS CALPURNIUS

died 48 BC Roman politician who, as consul with Julius Caesar in 59 BC, worked with the senatorial conservatives against Caesar's agrarian legislation. During their consulship Bibulus was prevented by mob violence from vetoing Caesar's agrarian proposals in the Senate. He thereupon attempted to prevent the measures from becoming law by announcing that he was looking for omens. According to the constitution, this should have brought all public business to a standstill, but Caesar disregarded the move. Retiring to his house, Bibulus did not emerge for the remaining eight months of his consulship; his only public acts were the issuance of edicts against Caesar's proceedings. When Caesar and Pompey the Great quarreled, Bibulus supported Pompey. In 51, he went to Syria as proconsul. During the Civil War between Pompey and Caesar, Pompey gave Bibulus the command of a fleet in the Ionian Sea, but Bibulus failed in his strenuous efforts to prevent Caesar from crossing from Italy to Epirus with his army in 49. Exhausted, Bibulus died shortly afterward.