3. MATHO. M. POMPONIUS, probably son of No. 2. plebeian aedile B. C. 206. gave, with his colleague
973
in the aedileship, a second celebration of the plebeian games. Next year, B. C. 205, he was one of the ambassadors sent to Delphi to make an offering to the god from the booty obtained by the victory over Hannibal; the following year, B. C. 204, he was elected praetor. He obtained Sicily as his province, and was ordered by the senate to inquire into the complaints made by the inhabitants of Locri against P. Scipio. The province was continued to Matho for another year (B. C. 203), and he was appointed to the command of the fleet, which was to protect Sicily, while P. Scipio was prosecuting the war in Africa. (Liv. 28.10, 45, 29.11, 13, 20_22, 30.2, 31.12.)