Sextia (gens)
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The gens Sextia was a
plebeian In ancient Rome, the plebeians (also called plebs) were the general body of free Roman citizens who were not patricians, as determined by the census, or in other words " commoners". Both classes were hereditary. Etymology The precise origins of ...
family at ancient Rome, from the time of the early
Republic A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...
and continuing into imperial times. The most famous member of the
gens In ancient Rome, a gens ( or , ; plural: ''gentes'' ) was a family consisting of individuals who shared the same Roman naming conventions#Nomen, nomen and who claimed descent from a common ancestor. A branch of a gens was called a ''stirps'' (p ...
was
Lucius Sextius Lateranus Lucius Sextius Sextinus Lateranus was a Roman tribune of the plebs and is noted for having been one of two men (the other being Gaius Licinius Stolo) who passed the Leges Liciniae Sextiae of 368 BC and 367 BC. Originally, these were a set of three ...
, who as tribune of the plebs from 376 to 367 BC, prevented the election of the annual magistrates, until the passage of the ''
lex Licinia Sextia The Licino-Sextian rogations were a series of laws proposed by tribunes of the plebs, Gaius Licinius Stolo and Lucius Sextius Lateranus, enacted around 367 BC. Livy calls them ''rogatio'' – though he does refer to them at times as ''lex' ...
'', otherwise known as the "Licinian Rogations," in the latter year. This law, brought forward by Sextius and his colleague,
Gaius Licinius Calvus Gaius, sometimes spelled ''Gajus'', Kaius, Cajus, Caius, was a common Latin praenomen; see Gaius (praenomen). People *Gaius (jurist) (), Roman jurist *Gaius Acilius *Gaius Antonius *Gaius Antonius Hybrida *Gaius Asinius Gallus *Gaius Asinius Pol ...
, opened the consulship to the plebeians, and in the following year Sextius was elected the first plebeian consul. Despite the antiquity of the family, only one other member obtained the consulship during the time of the Republic. Their name occurs more often in the
consular fasti In ancient Rome, the ''fasti'' (Latin plural) were chronological or calendar-based lists, or other diachronic records or plans of official and religiously sanctioned events. After Rome's decline, the word ''fasti'' continued to be used for simil ...
under the Empire.''Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology'', vol. III, p. 810 (" Sextia Gens").Livy, vi. 34–42.


Origin

The nomen ''Sextius'' is a patronymic surname, derived from the
praenomen The ''praenomen'' (; plural: ''praenomina'') was a personal name chosen by the parents of a Roman child. It was first bestowed on the ''dies lustricus'' (day of lustration), the eighth day after the birth of a girl, or the ninth day after the bi ...
''
Sextus Sextus is an ancient Roman '' praenomen'' or "first name". Its standard abbreviation is Sex., and the feminine form would be Sexta. It is one of the numeral ''praenomina'', like Quintus ("fifth") and Decimus ("tenth"), and means "sixth". Althoug ...
'', meaning "sixth", which must have belonged to the ancestor of the gens.Chase, p. 123. It is frequently confounded with that of the patrician '' gens Sestia'', and in fact the two families may originally have been the same; however, Roman authors treated them as distinct gentes. The plebeian '' gens Sextilia'' was derived from the same praenomen.


Praenomina

The main praenomina of the early Sextii were ''
Marcus Marcus, Markus, Márkus or Mărcuș may refer to: * Marcus (name), a masculine given name * Marcus (praenomen), a Roman personal name Places * Marcus, a main belt asteroid, also known as (369088) Marcus 2008 GG44 * Mărcuş, a village in Dobârl ...
'', '' Lucius'', and ''
Gaius Gaius, sometimes spelled ''Gajus'', Kaius, Cajus, Caius, was a common Latin praenomen; see Gaius (praenomen). People *Gaius (jurist) (), Roman jurist *Gaius Acilius *Gaius Antonius *Gaius Antonius Hybrida *Gaius Asinius Gallus *Gaius Asinius Pol ...
'', the most common names throughout all periods of Roman history. From filiations, we know that some of them also used '' Numerius'' and ''
Sextus Sextus is an ancient Roman '' praenomen'' or "first name". Its standard abbreviation is Sex., and the feminine form would be Sexta. It is one of the numeral ''praenomina'', like Quintus ("fifth") and Decimus ("tenth"), and means "sixth". Althoug ...
'', of which the former was relatively uncommon at Rome. Later generations of this gens used '' Publius'', '' Titus'', and ''
Quintus Quintus is a male given name derived from '' Quintus'', a common Latin forename (''praenomen'') found in the culture of ancient Rome. Quintus derives from Latin word ''quintus'', meaning "fifth". Quintus is an English masculine given name and ...
'', all of which were also common. Epigraphy provides instances of '' Vibius'', a name that was also used by the patrician Sestii, supporting the theory of a common origin.


Branches and cognomina

Most of the Sextii under the Republic bore no surname, or else had only personal
cognomina A ''cognomen'' (; plural ''cognomina''; from ''con-'' "together with" and ''(g)nomen'' "name") was the third name of a citizen of ancient Rome, under Roman naming conventions. Initially, it was a nickname, but lost that purpose when it became here ...
, instead of family-names. These included ''Baculus'', ''Calvinus'', ''Lateranus'', ''Naso'', ''Paconianus'', and ''Sabinus.''


Members

* Marcus Sextius, tribune of the plebs in 414 BC, proposed that a colony should be sent to Bolae. * Numerius Sextius, grandfather of Lucius Sextius Lateranus, the tribune. * Sextus Sextius N. f., father of the tribune Lateranus. * Lucius Sextius Sex. f. N. n. Sextinus Lateranus, tribune of the plebs with
Gaius Licinius Calvus Gaius, sometimes spelled ''Gajus'', Kaius, Cajus, Caius, was a common Latin praenomen; see Gaius (praenomen). People *Gaius (jurist) (), Roman jurist *Gaius Acilius *Gaius Antonius *Gaius Antonius Hybrida *Gaius Asinius Gallus *Gaius Asinius Pol ...
from 376 to 367 BC, succeeded in passing the ''
lex Licinia Sextia The Licino-Sextian rogations were a series of laws proposed by tribunes of the plebs, Gaius Licinius Stolo and Lucius Sextius Lateranus, enacted around 367 BC. Livy calls them ''rogatio'' – though he does refer to them at times as ''lex' ...
'', opening the consulship to the plebeians; in 366 he became the first plebeian consul.'' Fasti Capitolini'', ; 1904, 114. * Marcus Sextius Sabinus, plebeian aedile in 203 BC, and praetor in the following year, obtained Gaul as his province. * Sextius,
quaestor A ( , , ; "investigator") was a public official in Ancient Rome. There were various types of quaestors, with the title used to describe greatly different offices at different times. In the Roman Republic, quaestors were elected officials who ...
of the consul Lucius Calpurnius Bestia in
Numidia Numidia ( Berber: ''Inumiden''; 202–40 BC) was the ancient kingdom of the Numidians located in northwest Africa, initially comprising the territory that now makes up modern-day Algeria, but later expanding across what is today known as Tunis ...
, in 111 BC. * Publius Sextius, praetor ''designatus'' in 100 BC, was accused of bribery by Titus Junius, and condemned. He might be the same person as the quaestor of 111. * Sextius, lictor of Verres in Sicily, and his favorite executioner. * Publius Sextius Baculus, a
centurion A centurion (; la, centurio , . la, centuriones, label=none; grc-gre, κεντυρίων, kentyríōn, or ) was a position in the Roman army during classical antiquity, nominally the commander of a century (), a military unit of around 80 ...
with
Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman people, Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caes ...
's army in Gaul, who distinguished himself on many occasions by his great bravery. * Sextius Naso, one of the conspirators against Caesar in 44 BC. * Quintus Sextius, conspired against Quintus Cassius Longinus, governor of Hispania Ulterior, in 48 BC. After the conspiracy was suppressed, Sextius purchased his life from Cassius in exchange for a large sum of money. * Quintus Sextius, a Sextian philosopher during the time of Caesar; his works were admired by the younger Seneca. * Sextius Niger, a Sextian physician during the early Empire, and author of a pharmacological work. *
Sextius Paconianus Sextius Paconianus an agent of Sejanus. He was of prætorian rank. He caused the death of Sejanus, apparently to the satisfaction of the senators, for Sejanus had oft betrayed secrets entrusted to him by the Senate. Paconianus was complicit in a p ...
, one of the agents of
Sejanus Lucius Aelius Sejanus (c. 20 BC – 18 October AD 31), commonly known as Sejanus (), was a Roman soldier, friend and confidant of the Roman Emperor Tiberius. Of the Equites class by birth, Sejanus rose to power as prefect of the Praetorian Guar ...
, who was imprisoned after his master's downfall in AD 31, and subsequently strangled for having written some libellous verses against the emperor. *
Lucius Aninius Sextius Florentinus Lucius Aninius Sextius Florentinus (died between 127 and 130) was a Roman senator, who held a number of imperial appointments during the reigns of Trajan and Hadrian. He died while governing Roman Arabia; his unnamed son had a tomb prepared for him ...
, a second century Roman senator, entombed at
Petra Petra ( ar, ٱلْبَتْرَاء, Al-Batrāʾ; grc, Πέτρα, "Rock", Nabataean Aramaic, Nabataean: ), originally known to its inhabitants as Raqmu or Raqēmō, is an historic and archaeological city in southern Jordan. It is adjacent to t ...
.


Sextii Calvini

* Gaius Sextius, grandfather of the consul of 124 BC * Gaius C. f. Sextius, father of the consul of 124 BC * Gaius Sextius C. f. C. n. Calvinus, consul in 124 BC, and afterwards assigned the administration of Gaul. He conquered the
Salluvii The Salyes or Salluvii (Greek: ) were an ancient Celto-Ligurian people dwelling between the Durance river and the Greek colony of Massalia during the Iron Age. Although earlier writers called them 'Ligurian', Strabo used the denomination 'Celto-lig ...
, and founded the colony of
Aquae Sextiae Aix-en-Provence (, , ; oc, label=Provençal dialect, Provençal, Ais de Provença in classical norm, or in Mistralian norm, ; la, Aquae Sextiae), or simply Aix (Old Occitan, medieval Occitan: ''Aics''), is a List of communes in France with ov ...
. * Gaius C. f. Sextius Calvinus, described by Cicero as an excellent but sickly orator who stod as a candidate as praetor against Servilius Glaucia. He was probably a son of the consul and probably the same man as the praetor who restored the altar of an unknown deity. He may also have been the Gaius Calvinus who was a friend of Gaius Julius Caesar Strabo, described as only having one eye. Several historians have also identified him as the Sextius who was
quaestor A ( , , ; "investigator") was a public official in Ancient Rome. There were various types of quaestors, with the title used to describe greatly different offices at different times. In the Roman Republic, quaestors were elected officials who ...
under Lucius Calpurnius Bestia in 111 BC. * Publius Sextius Calvinus, Late Republican descendant of the consul of 124 BC, attested from a statue base in Thespiis


Sextii Africani

* Titus Sextius, one of Caesar's
legates A ''legatus'' (; anglicised as legate) was a high-ranking Roman military officer in the Roman Army, equivalent to a modern high-ranking general officer. Initially used to delegate power, the term became formalised under Augustus as the officer ...
in Gaul, he subsequently held the province of Africa on behalf of the triumvirs, until the government was given to Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, in 40 BC. * Sextia, the wife of
Mamercus Aemilius Scaurus Mamercus Aemilius Scaurus (died AD 34) was a Roman rhetorician, poet and senator. Tacitus writes that Scaurus was "a man of distinguished rank and ability as an advocate, but of infamous life." He was suffect consul from July to the end of the ...
; they took their own lives after Scaurus was accused of in AD 34. *
Titus Sextius Africanus Titus Sextius Africanus was a Roman senator who was deterred by Agrippina the Younger from marrying Junia Silana. He served as a suffect consul in 59 AD. In 62 AD, he took the census in the provinces of Gaul, together with Quintus Volusius Satu ...
, was discouraged by
Agrippina Agrippina is an ancient Roman cognomen and a feminine given name. People with either the cognomen or the given name include: Cognomen Relatives of the Roman general Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa: * Vipsania Agrippina (36 BC–20 AD), first wife of th ...
from marrying Junia Silana, the widow of Gaius Silius; in AD 62 he took the census in the provinces of Gaul. * Sextia, the mother-in-law of
Lucius Antistius Vetus Lucius ( el, Λούκιος ''Loukios''; ett, Luvcie) is a male given name derived from ''Lucius'' (abbreviated ''L.''), one of the small group of common Latin forenames (''praenomina'') found in the culture of ancient Rome. Lucius derives from L ...
; they were put to death by the emperor Nero in AD 65. * Titus Sextius Magius Lateranus, consul in AD 94. * Titus Sextius Cornelius Africanus, consul in AD 112 with the emperor Trajan.'' Fasti Ostienses'', . *
Titus Sextius Lateranus Titus Caesar Vespasianus ( ; 30 December 39 – 13 September 81 AD) was Roman emperor from 79 to 81. A member of the Flavian dynasty, Titus succeeded his father Vespasian upon his death. Before becoming emperor, Titus gained renown as a milit ...
, consul in AD 154. * Titus Sextius Magius Lateranus consul in AD 197.Mennen, ''Power and Status of the Roman Empire''.


See also

* List of Roman gentes * Sestia gens *
School of the Sextii The School of the Sextii was an eclectic Ancient Roman school of philosophy founded around 50 BC by Quintus Sextius the Elder and continued by his son, Sextius Niger, however it went extinct shortly after in 19 AD due to the ban on foreign cults. ...


Notes


References


Bibliography

* Marcus Tullius Cicero, '' Brutus'', ''
De Oratore ''De Oratore'' (''On the Orator''; not to be confused with ''Orator'') is a dialogue written by Cicero in 55 BC. It is set in 91 BC, when Lucius Licinius Crassus dies, just before the Social War and the civil war between Marius and Sulla, du ...
'', '' In Verrem''. * Gaius Julius Caesar, '' Commentarii de Bello Gallico'' (Commentaries on the Gallic War). * Aulus Hirtius, '' De Bello Alexandrino'' (On the Alexandrine War). * Gaius Sallustius Crispus ( Sallust), ''Bellum Jugurthinum'' (The Jugurthine War). * Titus Livius ( Livy), '' History of Rome''. *
Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-sighted that he could see ...
, ''
Geographica The ''Geographica'' (Ancient Greek: Γεωγραφικά ''Geōgraphiká''), or ''Geography'', is an encyclopedia of geographical knowledge, consisting of 17 'books', written in Ancient Greek, Greek and attributed to Strabo, an educated citizen ...
''. * Marcus Velleius Paterculus, ''Roman History''. * Valerius Maximus, ''
Factorum ac Dictorum Memorabilium ''Factorum ac dictorum memorabilium libri IX'' ("nine books of memorable deeds and sayings", also known as ''De factis dictisque memorabilibus'' or ''Facta et dicta memorabilia'') by Valerius Maximus (c. 20 BC – c. AD 50) was written arou ...
'' (Memorable Facts and Sayings). * Lucius Annaeus Seneca ( Seneca the Younger), '' Epistulae Morales ad Lucilium'' (Moral Letters to Lucilius), ''
De Ira ''De Ira'' (''On Anger'') is a Latin work by Seneca (4 BC–65 AD). The work defines and explains anger within the context of Stoic philosophy, and offers therapeutic advice on how to prevent and control anger. Sources Seneca's main sources were ...
'' (On Anger). * Publius Cornelius Tacitus, '' Annales''. * Appianus Alexandrinus ( Appian), ''Bellum Civile'' (The Civil War). * '' Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology'', William Smith, ed., Little, Brown and Company, Boston (1849). * George Davis Chase, "The Origin of Roman Praenomina", in ''Harvard Studies in Classical Philology'', vol. VIII, pp. 103–184 (1897). * T. Robert S. Broughton, ''The Magistrates of the Roman Republic'', American Philological Association (1952–1986). * Inge Mennen, ''Power and Status in the Roman Empire, AD 193–284'', Brill (2011). * Christian Settipani, ''Prosopographie sénatoriale romaine: nouveautés autour des Sextii'', L’Année Epigraphique (2014). {{Refend Roman gentes