Publius Sestius

Publius Sestius belonged to the ignoble plebeian family ^[1] . His father , who bore the prenomen of Lucius ^[2] , according to Mark Tullius Cicero , was “a wise, pious and stern man” and held the position of a tribune for the people “in the best times for the state” ^[3] . Proceeding from this formulation, the anticovers consider the tribune of Sestius Sr. to the period between 100 and 91 years BC. er ^[4] .

The birth of Publius Sestia, judging from the chronology of his career and the time of birth of his children, should be attributed to approximately 95 BC. er Publius soon married the daughter of Senator Guy Albinia. Around 73 BC. er He had a son, in 72 - a daughter. Publius' wife soon died, and he married a second time - the daughter of Lucius Cornelius Scipio the Asian , who lived in exile in Massilia . Publius visited his father-in-law ^[5] and “with his greatest and unchanging concerns” supported him while he was alive ^[6] .

Publiy began his career as a military tribune . In 63 BC er He became a quaestor at Consul Guy Antonia Hybrid ^[7] , whom the Senate sent to Etruria to fight the conspirator Lucius Sergius Catilina . Hybrid himself suspected of involvement in the conspiracy, and he reinforced these suspicions of their indecision and apparent reluctance to defeat the enemy. Against his background, Sestiy was distinguished by his energy and fighting spirit. Acting on his own, the quaestor sent troops to Capua on time , threatened by conspirators; at the request of the second consul, Mark Tullius Cicero, he led his detachment to Rome in order to protect the capital. Finally, in January 62 BC. er he joined Hybrid and, along with legate Marc Petrey, forced him to give Catiline a battle at Pistoria . As a result, the rebels were defeated, Catilina died ^{[8] [5]} .

As a prosecutor, Publius set off with Guy Anthony to his province, Macedonia ^[9] . There he demonstrated his disinterestedness ^[10] , but he made efforts to return to Rome ^{[5] by the} end of the year (62 BC). From a letter to him of Cicero, sent in December 62 BC. Oe., it is clear that Sestius bothered not to extend his authority, and for this he turned to Funt Kalen , the tribune of Quint , to Cicero himself, and to many other influential senators ^[11] .

The next time Publius is mentioned in the sources in connection with the events of 58 BC. er Then he put forward his candidacy in the tribunes of the people; having already been elected ^[12] , he went to Gaul to visit Proconsul Guy Julius Caesar in order to convince him to facilitate the return of Cicero from exile ^{[5] [13]} . Cicero himself in one of his speeches says so: “I believe that if Caesar was sympathetic, as I think, then Sestia’s trip did not bring any benefit; if Caesar was somewhat annoyed, then small; but you still see the zeal and sincere devotion of Sestia ” ^[14] . By accepting authority, Publius continued to seek permission for Mark Tullius to return. His colleague, Titus Annius Milon , became his ally in this matter, and Publius Claudius Pulkhr , the tribune of the previous year, became the enemy (this politician achieved exile for Cicero because of the extrajudicial execution of cathilians). The struggle often turned into armed clashes between supporters of the two “parties” right on the city streets. When Clodius put forward his candidacy for edily , Sestius announced that he would not allow him to be elected; on the eve of the elections, he informed the consul about unfavorable omens, and he was immediately attacked by the Clodians — with swords, stakes and clubs. Having received about 20 wounds, Publius, “weakened and pierced, fell lifeless and was saved from death only because he was considered dead” ^{[15] [16]} .

In the same year, Cicero was able to return from exile. In his speech to the Senate, he thanked all those who had contributed to his return, including Publius ^[17] . He, after visiting gladiatorial games after his recovery, received a storm of applause from the audience ^[18] . But Clodius soon delivered a new blow. In February 56 BC. er he succeeded in bringing Sestiy to trial on charges of harassment (this case was led by Gnei Neri) and in violent acts (here the prosecutor was Publius Tullius Albinovan). Nothing is known about “harassment”, and in the second case it was about the use of gladiators by Sestiem for political struggle. The trial went on March 13-14, 56 BC. er ^[19] chaired by Mark Emilia Skavra ; One of the witnesses for the prosecution was Publius Vatinius , and in defense of the defendant were the best speakers of the era - Quint Hortense Gortal , Mark Licinius Crassus and Mark Tullius Cicero. The last in a speech, the text of which has been preserved, outlined his political views. He spoke about the division of politicians into “most honest people”, “ optimates ”, and people who pretend to be defenders of the people - “ popularists ” ^[20] . Sestiya, the speaker referred to the "optimata", and the jury convicted ^[21] .

In 52 BC er Publiya again brought to court - this time on charges of bribing voters. The defender was Cicero again, but the outcome of the process remains unclear. At the beginning of 49 BC. Oe., when the Pompeian “party” in the senate was preparing for war with Guy Julius Caesar and distributed the provinces among his supporters, Sestius received the administration of Cilicia ^[22] (hence the scientists conclude that around 55 BCE he should have hold the post of praetor). He went to the East, accompanied by legate Marc Junius Brutus ^[23] . After the defeat of Gnay Pompey at Farsala in the summer of 48 BC. er Publius went over to the side of Caesar and retained his post, but became subordinate to Gnea Domitius Calvin , who ruled the whole of Asia Minor . At the beginning of 47 BC. er He participated in unsuccessful hostilities against the king of the Bosporus Parnak II . In 46 BC er Sestiy was again in Rome. In subsequent years, he is only mentioned a few times in the sources; The last mention refers to 35 BC. er and is associated with discussions in the Senate of temple construction in the East ^[24] .

Publius Sesty was married twice: in the first marriage with his daughter Guy Albinia he had a daughter and a son, Lucius Sestiy Albanian Quirinal , consul 23 years BC. er the second marriage was married to the daughter of the consul 83 BC. er Lucius Cornelius Scipio Asian ^[5] .

Sources

1. Plutarch . Comparative biographies. - M. , 1994. - ISBN 5-02-011570-3 , 5-02-011568-1.
2. Mark Tullius Cicero . Letters of Mark Tullius Cicero to Atticus, relatives, brother Quint, M. Brut. - SPb. : Science, 2010. - Vol. 3. - 832 p. - ISBN 978-5-02-025247-9 , 978-5-02-025244-8.
3. Mark Tullius Cicero. Speech - M .: Science, 1993. - ISBN 5-02-011169-4 .

Literature

1. Grimal P. Cicero. - M .: Young Guard, 1991. - 544 p. - ISBN 5-235-01060-4 .
2. Broughton R. Magistrates of the Roman Republic. - New York, 1952. - Vol. Ii. - P. 558.
3. Münzer F. Sestius // Paulys Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft . - 1923. - Bd. II A, 2. - Kol. 1884.
4. Münzer F. Sestius 2 // Paulys Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft . - 1923. - Bd. II A, 2. - Kol. 1884–1885.
5. Münzer F. Sestius 6 // Paulys Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft . - 1923. - Bd. II A, 2. - Kol. 1886-1890.