LENTULUS CRUS, LUCIUS CORNELIUS

died Sept. 29, 48 BC, Egypt Roman politician, a leading member of the senatorial party that vigorously opposed Julius Caesar. In 61 BC Lentulus was the chief accuser of Publius Clodius on a charge of sacrilege at a festival. Lentulus was a praetor in 58. As consul in 49 he advocated the rejection of all peace terms offered by Caesar in his conflict with the Senate. On the outbreak of the Civil War in 49, Lentulus joined Pompey's senatorial forces at Dyrrhachium. Pompey's army was crushed at Pharsalus in 48, and Lentulus then fled to Egypt, where he was murdered.