Cilo

• a Roman cognomen, Cic. Fam. 4, 12, 2.

or Chilo, a Roman surname, seems to have been written in either way, as we find both forms on coins of the Flaminia gens. (Eckhel, v. p. 212.) The Latin grammarians, however, state that Cilo was applied to a person with a long and narrow head, and Chilo to one with large or thick lips. (Velius Long. p. 2234, Flav. Caper, p. 2242, Charis. p. 78, ed. Putschius; Festus, s. v. Chilo.)

a Roman senator, called by Appian Κίλλων, proscribed in B. C. 43 (Appian, App. BC 4.27), may perhaps be the same as the Cilo, the friend of Toranius and Cicero, whom the latter mentions in B. C. 45. (Cic. Fam. 6.20.)

or Chilo, L. FLAMI'NIUS, occurs only on coins, of which a specimen is annexed. The obverse represents the head of Venus, and the reverse Victory driving a biga. The interpretation of the inscription on the obverse, IIII. Vir. Pri. Fl., is not certain. We know that Julius Caesar increased the number of the superintendents of the mint from three to four, and it has therefore been supposed that this Flaminius Chilo was one of the first four superintendents appointed by Caesar, and that the above letters refer to this, being equivalent to III Vir primus flandae monetae. (Eckhel, v. pp. 212, 213.)

procurator of Pontus in the reign of Claudius, brought the Bosporan Mithridates to Rome in A. D. 50, and received afterwards the consular insignia. (Tac. Ann. 12.21.) Dio Cassius speaks (ix. 33) of him as governor of Bithynia, and relates an amusing tale respecting him. The Bithynians came before Claudius to complain of Cilo having taken bribes, but as the emperor could not hear them on account of the noise, he asked those standing by his side what they said. Narcissus thereupon told him that they were returning thanks to Cilo, upon which Claudius appointed him to the government of the province for two years longer.

or Chilo, P. MA'GIUS, murdered at Peiraeeus, in B. C. 45, M. Claudius Marcellus, who had been consul in 51, and killed himself immediately afterwards. Cilo was a friend and client of Marcellus and a rumour was circulated at the time by Caesar's enemies, that the dictator had instigated him to commit the murder. Brutus wrote to Cicero to defend Caesar from this charge. The real motive for the crime seems to have been, that Marcellus refused to advance Cilo a sum of money to relieve him from his embarrassments. (Cic. Att. 13.10, ad Fam. 4.12.) Valerius Maximus (9.11.4) says, that Cilo had served under Pompey, and that he was indignant at Marcellus preferring another friend to him. Livy (Liv. Epit. 115) calls him Cn. Magius.

to whom an inscription quoted by Tillemont after Onuphrius Panvinius gives the names Catinius Acilianus Lepidus Fulginianus, was consul in A. D. 193 and 204, and was the chosen friend of Septimius Severus, by whom he was appointed praefect of the city and tutor to his two sons. Having endeavoured to mediate between the brothers, he incurred the hatred of the elder, who after the murder of Geta gave orders that the man who had ever acted towards him the part of a father, and whom he had often addressed by that title, should be included in the massacre which followed. The soldiers hastened to the mansion of Cilo, and after plundering it of all the costly furniture and other precious effects, dragged him from the bath, compelled him to walk through the streets in his wooden slippers and a single scanty garment, buffeting him as they hurried along with the intention of putting him to death when they should have reached the palace. This gratuitous cruelty proved his salvation. For the populace, beholding one whom they had been wont to honour treated with such indignity, began to murmur, and were joined by the city-guards. A tumult was imminent, when Caracalla came forth to meet the mob, and partly through fear, partly perhaps touched for a moment with compunction, threw his own cloak over the shoulders of his former preceptor, once more addressed him as father and master, gave orders that the tribune and his attendants who had been sent to perpetrate the crime should themselves be put to death, not, says Dion, because they had wished to slay their victim, but because they had failed to do so, and continued to treat him with the outward semblance at least of respect. The only other anecdote preserved with regard to Cilo is, that he saved the life of Macrinus at the time when the latter was upon the point of sharing the fate of Plautianus [Plautianus], whose agent he was, and thus the destruction of Caracalla was indirectly hastened by the friend and benefactor whom he had sought to destroy. (D. C. 77.4, 78.11; Spartian. Caracall. 4; Aurel. Vict. Epit. 20.) [W.R]