M. Aemilius Scaurus (c.155-89) was a scion of a degenerate branch of the Aemilii.He himself wrote in his Memoirs that he had to work as a homo novus to rise
on the cursus honorum -a exaggeration of cource.
Scaurus was a political ally of the powerful Caecilii
Metelli -he married a Metella Dalmatica. He was elected
consul in 115 with a Metellus for colleague. In so doing
he defeated P. Rutilius Rufus and the two vainly engaged
in mutual prosecutions for bribery. During his consulship
he humiliated the praetor D. Subulo who had prosecuted
Opimius, won a victory against the Ligurians for which
he was awarded a triumph, snd began the construction of
the Via Aemilia Scaura. He was made princeps senatus
by the censors (one of whom was his father-in-law).

Scaurus became the effective head of the Metelli and
presided over the court to investigate senatorial
corruption, despite his having led an embassy in 112 to
Jugurtha. He also served as legatus to Bestia
in his unsuccesful campaign againts Jugurtha in 111.
He was censor in 111 but had to resign when his
colleague, M. Livius Drusus died. In 104 he took over
the management of the supply of cheap grain from
Saturninus, and in 100 proposed the senatus consultum
ultimum against Saturninus. He went in c.95 as
head of an embassy to the province of Asia,
which was suffering from Roman rapacity: this seems
to have led to the humane governorship of Scaevola.
In 92 and again in 90 he was targeted by Q. Servilius
Caepio, who was hostile to M. Livius Drusus, whom
Scaurus was supporting in his attept to conciliate
the Italians. In 90 the tribune Q. Varius, who had
created a court to punish those who had negotiated
with the Italians,prosecuted Scaurus but Scaurus delivered a withering
speech, which silenced him.

He died a rich man, having earned his money by other
means than extortion: his methods may not always
have been honest and he took a bribe from Jugurtha,
but he was never convicted of a crime. Sallust depicted
him as a examplary corrupt and venal nobilis.

"Aemilius Scaurus, an enterprising nobilis who,
although he was a political intriguer with an appetite
for power, advancement, and riches, had enough cunning
to hide his faults"

The quote has a hostile political tendence. Scaurus
should be remembered as one of the most important men
of his age, a man who according to Cicero "almost
ruled the world with his nod".


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Sources:

Sallust Bellum Iugurthinum
Hazel, John Who´s Who in the Roman World