Publius Cornelius Lentulus Spinter (Consul)

Publius Cornelius belonged to an ancient patrician family. Only one thing is known in more detail about its origin: Father Publius wore the same name ^[1] . The nickname Spinter Publius-son received for the outward resemblance to a theater actor who bore this name ^{[2] [3]} .

There is an assumption that Spinter's brother was Lucius Cornelius Lentulus Cruz , consul 49 years BC. e. The latter held, among other things, the position of a people's tribune , that is, he was a plebeian . Accordingly, there is a possibility that Publius also belonged to the plebs ^[4] .

Historians attribute the birth of Publius Cornelia to 101 BC. e. ^[5] According to one hypothesis, it was Lentulus Spinter who was that Publius Cornelius , who was in charge of minting coins in 74 BC. e .; according to another version, it was Publius Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus ^[6] . Around 70 BC e. Spinter served as a quaestor ^[5] . Sources provide more accurate information about his biography, starting with the edilith ^[4] , which refers to 63 BC. e. ^[7] Then Publius Cornelius organized luxurious games ^[8] and supported the consul Mark Tullius Cicero in his fight against the conspiracy of Catilina ^[4] . It is known that the conspirator Publius Cornelius Lentul Sura was transferred to him on bail ( custodia libera ) during the investigation ^[9] .

The next step in the career of Publius Cornelia was the praeture , which dates back to 60 BC. e. ^{[4] [10]} As a praetor, Spinter organized games in honor of Apollo , and decorated the stage with silver ornament; contemporaries considered this an unprecedented luxury ^{[11] [12]} . The following year, he traveled (presumably with the powers of a proconsul ^[13] ) to Middle Spain . Publius received this appointment thanks to the support of Gaius Julius Caesar , who, being the supreme pontiff , also secured him a place in one of the most prestigious priestly colleges of Rome (between 63 and 57 years BC) ^{[14] [4]} . Returning to Rome in 58 BC. e., Lentulus nominated himself as consul and won the election with the plebeian Quintus Cecilius Metellus Nepot ^[15] (Caesar supported him again). Mark Tullius Cicero, who was in exile at that time, who had linked hopes for returning with Publius ^{[16] [17]} , was not mistaken: on the very first day of the consulate he suggested that the exile be allowed to return in the Senate and was supported by his colleague. Cicero returned to Rome that same year; in a number of speeches and letters he expresses personal gratitude to Lentulus Spinter ^[18] .

Later Publius once again supported Cicero in a situation related to the house of the latter. The enemy of Cicero Publius Claudius Pulhr achieved the destruction of the building and the dedication of the land to the gods. But the Senate majority, to which Lentulus Spinter also belonged, insisted on returning the land to Mark Tullius ^[19] .

Together, the consuls achieved the granting of extraordinary powers to Gnome Pompey the Great for five years to supply Rome with bread ^[20] . It was rumored that Publius had hoped in this way to receive a favorable order from the Senate - to return to the Egyptian throne Ptolemy Avlet , expelled by his own subjects (Pompey was the main contender for the fulfillment of this mission, and new duties did not allow him to leave Rome) ^[21] . Lentulus did receive the province of Cilicia , from whose territory it was possible to act against Egypt, but later became the subject of heated debate in the Senate. The corresponding order was never given to Publius, although Cicero spoke for him, and in 55 BC. e. Avleta was returned to the throne by the governor of Syria, Aul Gabinius , acting arbitrarily ^[22] .

In Cilicia, Publius Cornelius spent almost three years (beginning of 56 — the end of 54 years BC) ^[23] . He was the first Roman governor to rule Cyprus , and established a special law for this island ( lex provinciae ) ^[24] . Spinter successfully acted against the rebels and local tribes who did not want to submit to Rome, and at the beginning of 55 BC. e. was proclaimed emperor ^[25] , thanks to which he was subsequently able to celebrate a triumph (in 51 BC ^[26] ). It is known that he severely treated the farmers in his province and did not make any money during the time of the governorship. On the contrary: in 50 BC. e. Lentulus had to sell all of his property except for the estate in Tuskul . Allegedly, he had to spend too much money on a triumph ^[27] .

When the civil war between Caesar and Pompey began , Publius Cornelius joined the latter. It is known that at the beginning of 49 BC. e. he commanded ten cohorts standing at Ausculum in Pitsen ; Upon learning of Caesar's approach, Spinter fled and was abandoned by most of his soldiers. Faced with the Pompeian Lucius Vibullius Rufus , he surrendered command ^[28] , and then joined Lucius Domitius Agenobarb in Corfinia . The army of the latter also did not want to fight. Seeing this, Lentulus began negotiations with Caesar, asking for mercy. Corfinius capitulated, Publius was arrested, but soon received freedom ^{[29] [30]} .

For a while, Spinter stayed in Puteoli , thinking what to do next. He still sympathized with the cause of Pompey, but at the same time felt obligated to Caesar, who showed mercy and generosity. Eventually Publius went to the Balkans and joined Pompey there. In the summer of 48 BC e., after the defeat at Farsala , he first accompanied the commander in his flight ^{[31] [32]} , and later tried to take refuge in Rhodes , but was not allowed into the harbor ^[33] . Nevertheless, at the beginning of 47 BC. e. in Rome there were rumors that Spinter was in Rhodes ^[34] .

Publius Cornelius died before the end of the civil wars ^[30] . According to Aurelius Victor , he was executed by the Caesarians in Africa after the Battle of Thaps (April 46 BC) ^[35] . But Cicero, in his earlier treatise Brutus , writes about Spintere as already dead ^[36] .

Mark Tullius Cicero considered Publius Cornelius to be his friend and felt gratitude towards him for support in difficult times ^[37] . According to Cicero, Lentulus Spinter "was distinguished by such nobleness and such greatness of his soul that he could, without fear, take any position proper to famous men and occupy it with full dignity." Publius’s name appeared on the list of Roman speakers in the Brutus treatise, and the author admits that Lentulus did not have a special oratory talent: “He owed everything to everything that he had, small or large,”. ^[36] .

Publius Cornelius had a son of the same name , who passed through adoption into the Manlius clan to become an Augur (in this collegium, each clan could be represented by only one person, and Cornelius was already there). Contrary to the then rules, Publius Jr. did not take on a new name, remaining Publius Cornelius Lentulus Spinter .

Sources

1. Sextus Aurelius Victor . About famous people // Roman historians of the IV century. - M .: Rosspan, 1997 .-- S. 179-224. - ISBN 5-86004-072-5 .
2. Appian of Alexandria . Roman history. - M .: Ladomir, 2002 .-- 880 p. - ISBN 5-86218-174-1 .
3. Valery Maxim . Memorable deeds and sayings. - SPb. : Publishing house of St. Petersburg State University, 2007. - ISBN 978-5-288-04267-6 .
4. Valery Maxim. Memorable deeds and sayings. - SPb. , 1772. - T. 2. - 520 s.
5. Guy Valley Patculus . Roman History // Small Roman Historians. - M .: Ladomir, 1996 .-- S. 11-98. - ISBN 5-86218-125-3 .
6. Pliny the Elder . Natural history (neopr.) . Date of treatment July 14, 2018.
7. Plutarch . Comparative biographies. - M .: Nauka, 1994 .-- ISBN 5-02-011570-3 , 5-02-011568-1.
8. Guy Sallust Crisp . About the Catilina conspiracy // Caesar. Sallust. - M .: Ladomir, 2001 .-- S. 445-487. - ISBN 5-86218-361-2 .
9. Mark Tullius Cicero . Brutus // Three treatises on oratory. - M .: Ladomir, 1994 .-- S. 253-328. - ISBN 5-86218-097-4 .
10. Mark Tullius Cicero. About duties // About old age. About friendship. About duties. - M .: Nauka, 1974. - S. 58-158.
11. Mark Tullius Cicero. Letters from Mark Tullius Cicero to Attica, relatives, brother Quintus, M. Brutus. - SPb. : Nauka, 2010 .-- V. 3 .-- 832 p. - ISBN 978-5-02-025247-9 , 978-5-02-025244-8.
12. Mark Tullius Cicero. Speech. - M .: Nauka, 1993 .-- ISBN 5-02-011169-4 .
13. Guy Julius Caesar . Civil War Notes. - SPb. : AST, 2001 .-- 752 s. - ISBN 5-17-005087-9 .

Literature

1. Abramzon M. Roman rule in the East. Rome and Cilicia (II century BC. - 74 year BC. E.). - SPb. : Acre, Humanitarian Academy, 2005. - 256 p. - ISBN 5-93762-045-3 .
2. Broughton R. Magistrates of the Roman Republic. - New York, 1952. - Vol. II. - P. 558.
3. Münzer F. Cornelii Lentuli // Paulys Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft . - 1900. - Bd. VII. - Kol. 1355-1357.
4. Münzer F. Cornelius 238 // Paulys Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft . - 1900. - Bd. VII. - Kol. 1392-1398.
5. Sumner G. Orators in Cicero's Brutus: prosopography and chronology. - Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1973.- 197 p. - ISBN 9780802052810 .

• Publius Cornelius Lentulus Spinter (consul) (English) . - in Smith 's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.