Publius Cornelius Cethegus (consul 181 BC)

Publius Cornelius Cethegus was a Roman politician and member of the patrician gens Cornelia. He served as consul in 181 BC alongside Marcus Baebius Tamphilus.

His political career likely began with the standard cursus honorum, although details of his earlier magistracies are not fully known. His consulship in 181 BC is the primary source of information about his life. During his term, both consuls were tasked with dealing with unrest and brigandage in Liguria. They conducted military operations in the region and ultimately subdued the Ligurian tribes, leading to the establishment of Roman control and the subjugation of the local population.

Little is known of Cethegus after his consulship. His descendants continued to hold positions of power within the Roman Republic. It is likely that he played a role in the political landscape of Rome following his time in office, though specific details are lacking in surviving historical accounts. The name Cethegus was later associated with a different, more notorious Publius Cornelius Cethegus who participated in the Catilinarian Conspiracy in 63 BC, many years later.