Gaius Popillius Laenas

Gaius Popillius Laenas was one of the two Roman consuls in 172 BC.

He was sent as an envoy to prevent a war between Antiochus IV Epiphanes of the Kingdom of Syria and Egypt. On being confronted with the Roman demands that he abort his attack on Alexandria, Antiochus played for time; Popillius Laenas is supposed to have drawn a circle around the king in the sand with his cane, and ordered him not to move out of it until a firm answer had been given. The Syrians withdrew.

Cicero is one of the sources for this story in his Philippics (8.8).

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