Marcus Antonius, elected praetor in 74 BCE,…

Marcus Antonius, elected praetor in 74 BCE, had received an extraordinary commission, similar to that bestowed upon triumvir Pompey by the Gabinian law years later and on his father three decades before, to clear the Mediterranean Sea of the threat of piracy, and thereby assist the operations against Mithridates on the pretext that Knossos was backing Mithridates,

Antonius had not only failed in the task, but plundered the provinces he was supposed to protect from robbery.

He attacked the Cretans, who had made an alliance with the pirates, but had been totally defeated, most of his ships being sunk.

Diodorus Siculus states that he only saved himself by a disgraceful treaty.

As a result of this defeat he is mockingly given the byname Creticus, which means "conqueror of Crete", and also "man made of chalk", when translated from Latin.

He dies soon afterwards (72 BCE - 71 BCE) in Crete.

Most authorities agree as to his avarice and incompetence, but the biographer Plutarch describes him as friendly, honest and generous man.