Considius

1. Q. Considius, tribune of the plebs, B. C. 476, united with his colleague T. Genucius in bringing forward the agrarian law again, and also in accusing T. Mnenius Lanatus, the consul of the preceding year, because it was supposed that the Fabii had perished at Cremera through his neglect. (Liv. 2.52; Dionys. A. R. 9.27.)

2. Considius, a farmer of the public taxes (publicanus), brought an action against L. Sergius Orata, who was praetor in B. . 98, on account of his illegal appropriation of the waters of the Lucrine sea. Orata was defended by L. Crassus, who was a friend of Considins. (V. Max. 9.1.1.)

3. L. Considius, conducted, in conjunction with Sex. Saltius, a colony to Capua, which was formed by M. Brutus, the father of the so-called tyrannicide, in his tribunate, B. C. 83. [Brutus, No. 20] Cousidius and Saltius are ridiculed by Cicero for the arrogance which they displayed, and for calling themselves practors instead of duumvirs. (Cic. de Leg. Agr. 2.34.)

4. Q. Considius, a senator and one of the Judices, is praised by Cicero for his integrity and uprightness as a judge both in B. C. 70 (in Verr. 1.7) and in B. C. 66. (Pro Cluent. 38.) Considius is spoken of as quite an old man in Caesar's consulship, B. C. 59, and it is related of him, that when very few senators came to the house, on one occasion, he told Caesar, that the reason of their absence was their fear of his arms and soldiers ; and that when Caesar thereupon asked him why he also did not stop at home, he replied, that old age had deprived him of all fear. (Plut. Caes. 14 ; Cic. Att. 2.24.)

5. Q. Considius, the usurer, may perhaps be the same as the preceding, especially as the anecdote related of him is in accordance with the character which Cicero gives of the senator. It is related of this Considius, that, when in the Catilinarian conspiracy, B. C. 63, the value of all property had been so much depreciated that it was impossible even for the wealthy to pay their creditors, he did not call in the principal or interest of any of the sums due to him, although he had 15 millions of sesterces out at interest, endeavouring by this indulgence to mitigate, as far as he could, the general alarm. (V. Max. 4.8.3; comp. Cic. Att. 1.12.)

6. Q. Considius Gallus, one of the heirs of Q. Turius in B. C. 43, was perhaps a son of No. 4. (Cic. Fam. 12.26.)

7. P. Considius, served under Caesar in his first campaign in Gaul, B. C. 58, and is spoken of as an experienced soldier, who had served under L. Sulla and afterwards under M. Crassus. (Caes. Gal. 1.21.)

8. M. Considius Nonianus, praetor in B. C. 52. He is spoken of in 49 as the intended successor of Caesar in the province of Nearer Gaul, and he assisted Pompey in the same year in conducting his preparations at Capua. (Ascon. in Cic. Mil. p. 55, ed. Orelli; Cic. Fam. 16.12, ad Att. 8.11, B.) The name of C. Considius Nonianus occurs on coins. (Eckhel, v. p. 177.)

9. C. Considius Longus, propraetor in Africa, left his province shortly before the breaking out of the civil war between Caesar and Pompey, in order to go to Rome to become a candidate for the consulship, entrusting the government to Q. Ligarius. (Cic. pro Ligar. 1; Schol. Gronov. in Ligar. p. 414, ed. Orelli.) When the civil war broke out in B. C. 49, Considius espoused Pompey's party, and returned to Africa, where he held Adrumetum with one legion. (Caes. Civ. 2.23.) He still had possession of Adrumetum two years afterwards, B. C. 47, when Caesar came into Africa ; and when a letter was sent him by the hands of a captive, Considius caused the unfortunate bearer to be put to death, because he said he had brought it from the imperator Caesar, declaring at the same time himself, that Scipio was the only imperator of the Roman people at that time. Shortly afterwards Considius made an unsuccessful attempt upon Achilla, a free town in Caesar's interest, and was obliged to retire to Adrumetum. We next hear of Considius in possession of the stronglyfortified town of Tisdra; but after the defeat of Scipio at Thapsus, and when he heard that Cn. Domitius Calvinus was advancing against the town, he secretly withdrew from it, accompanied by a few Gaetulians and laden with money, intending to fly into Mauretania. But he was murdered on the journey by the Gaetulians, who coveted his treasures. (Hirt. B. Afr. 3, 4, 33, 43, 76, 86, 93.)

10. C. Considius, son of No. 9, fell into Caesar's power, when he obtained possession of Adrumetum after the battle of Thapsus, B. C. 47, and was pardoned by Caesar. (Hirt. B. Afr. 89.) It is supposed that he may be the same as the C. Considius Paetus, whose name occurs on coins; but this is mere conjecture. (Eckhel, v. p. 177.)