Marcus Valerius Messalla Niger was a senator of the Roman Republic.
He was praetor in the year of Cicero's consulship, 63 BC, and consul in 61 BC,[1] the year in which Publius Clodius profaned the mysteries of the Bona Dea, and Gnaeus Pompeius triumphed for his several victories over the Cilician pirates, Tigranes the Great and Mithridates VI of Pontus.
In 80 BC he was engaged in collecting evidence for the defence in the cause of Sextus Roscius of Ameria.
In 62 BC he solicited Cicero to undertake the defence of his kinsman, Publius Cornelius Sulla.
Messalla married a woman named Polla, by whom he had a son, Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus and two daughters, both named Valeria, who married Quintus Pedius and Servius Sulpicius Rufus, the son of the consul of 51 BC (also named Servius Sulpicius Rufus), respectively.