a Roman knight, who married the sister of Helvia, the mother of Cicero. He was surpassed by no one in his day in his knowledge of the Roman law, and possessed great acuteness of mind, but was not distinguished for other attainments. He was a friend of L. Licinius Crassus, and was defended by him upon one occasion. The son of Aculeo was C. Visellius Varro; whence it would appear that Aculeo was only a surname given to the father from his acuteness, and that his full name was C. Visellius Varro Aculeo. (Cic. de Or. 1.43, 2.1, 65; Brut. 76.)
A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology
Smith, William
A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. William Smith, LLD, ed. 1890