C. Lucilius’ dates are given by Jerome as B.C. 148-103.
yr. Abr. 1869 = B.C. 148, ‘Lucilius poeta nascitur.’
yr. Abr. 1914 = B.C. 103, ‘C. Lucilius satirarum scriptor Neapoli moritur, ac publico funere effertur anno aetatis xlvi.’
If Jerome’s notice were correct, Lucilius would have been only thirteen years old at the time of the Numantine War (B.C. 134) in which he served.
Velleius ii. 9, 4, ‘Celebre et Lucili nomen fuit qui sub P. Africano Numantino bello eques militaverat.’
It is probable that Jerome has confused the consuls of B.C. 180, A. Postumius Albinus and C. Calpurnius Piso, with those of B.C. 148, Sp. Postumius Albinus and L. Calpurnius Piso, and that Lucilius was born B.C. 180. No reference is found in Lucilius to any event after B.C. 103, so that Jerome may be right in giving that as the year of his death. In Hor. Sat. ii. 1, 34, Lucilius is called senex, which shows that he lived a long life.
Lucilius was born at Suessa in Campania. He was an eques, and was the great-uncle of Pompey. Juv. 1, 19,
‘Cur tamen hoc potius libeat decurrere campo,
per quem magnus equos Auruncae flexit alumnus,
si vacat ac placidi rationem admittitis, edam.’
Porphyr. ad Hor. Sat. ii. 1, 75, ‘“infra Lucili censum”: Constat enim Lucilium avonculum maiorem Pompei fuisse: etenim avia Pompei Lucilii soror fuerat.’
Velleius ii. 29, 2, ‘Fuit [Cn. Pompeius] genitus matre Lucilia, stirpis senatoriae.’ This Lucilia was Lucilius’ niece, and her father, Lucilius’ brother, was a senator.