Matho, Pompo'nius
1. M'.
Pomponius Matho, M'. F. M'. N., consul B. C. 233, with Q. Fabius Maximus Verrucossus, carried on war against the Sardinians, and obtained a triumph in consequence of his victory over them. (
Zonar. 8.18, p. 401.)
The reduction of the Sardinians, however, must have been incomplete, as we find Matho's brother engaged against them two years afterwards, with a consular army. [See below, No. 2.] In B. C. 217 he was magister equitum to the dictator, L. Veturius Philo, and was elected praetor for the following year, B. C. 216.
There seems no reason for believing that the M'. Pomponius Matho, praetor of this year, was a different person from the consul of B. C. 233, as the Romans were now at war with Hannibal, and were therefore anxious to appoint to the great offices of the state generals who had had experience in war.
The lot, however, did not give to Matho any military command, but the
jurisdictio inter cives Romanos et peregrinos. After news had been received of the fatal battle of Cannae, Matho and his colleague, the praetor urbanus, summoned the senate to the curia Hostilia to deliberate on what steps were to be taken. (
Liv. 22.33,
35,
55,
23.20,
24.)
At the expiration of his office, Matho received as propraetor the province of Cisalpine Gaul, B. C. 215; for Livy says (24.10), in the next year, B. C. 214, that the province of Gaul was continued to him. Livy, however, not only makes no mention of Matho's appointment in B. C. 215, but expressly states (23.25) that in that year no army was sent into Gaul on account of the want of soldiers. We can only reconcile these statements by supposing that Matho was appointed to the province but did not obtain any troops that year.
He died in B. C. 211, at which time he was one of the pontifices. (
Liv. 26.23.)
