Publius Sestius Capitolinus Vaticanus

Publius Sestius Capitolinus Vaticanus was a Roman politician in the 5th century BC, consul in 452 BC and decemvir in 451 BC.

Family

He was a member of the Gens Sestii. He was the son of Quintus and his complete name is Publius Sestius Q.f. Vibi.n. Capitolinus Vaticanus.[1] Livy gives the form Sextius[2] then Sestius.[3] Dionysius of Halicarnassus uses the form Siccius. His cognomen Capitolinus is not certain - we also see Capito being used.[4] He was the only member of his family to attain the rank of consul.

Biography

Consulship

In 452 BC, he was consul with Titus Menenius Lanatus (consul 452 BC).[5][1] During their consulship, the delegates left to study Greek law in Athens. After returning to Rome, the tribunes of the plebs called together officials to create a commission to write the law down. Publius Sestius supported this proposition, contrary to his colleague - Titus Menenius - who pondered the question,[1] then suffering from a chronic illness, would not be active until the end of his term. Publius Sestius refused to take sole initiative of creating the commission, and so referred the decision to the following year.[6]

Decemvirate

In 451 BC, because of his vocal support, he was taken into the first commission of the decemvirs which drew up the first ten tables of the Law of the Twelve Tables.[4][7][8][9]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Broughton 1951, p. 44.
  2. Livy, Ab urbe condita, III. 32.5
  3. Livy, Ab urbe condita, III. 33.3
  4. 1 2 Broughton 1951, p. 45.
  5. Livy, Ab urbe condita, III. 32
  6. Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities]], X. 54
  7. Livy, Ab urbe condita, III. 33-34
  8. Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica, XII. 9
  9. Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities, X. 55

Bibliography

Ancient bibliography

Modern bibliography

Political offices
Preceded by
Spirius Furius Medullinus Fusus II,
and Publius Curiatius Fistus Trigeminus
Consul of the Roman Republic
452 BC
with Titus Menenius Lanatus
Succeeded by
Appius Claudius Crassus Sabinus Regillensis,
and Titus Genucius Augurinus
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