Publius Cornelius Lentulus Spinther (Consul 57 BC)

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Publius Cornelius Lentulus , called Spinther because of his resemblance to an actor of the same name († 47/46 BC ), was a Roman politician of the late Republic.

Probably 74 BC He was bursar and mint master. Only one denarius type is ascribed to him, with a bearded Hercules head on the obverse and the Genius Populi Romani with a scepter on a sella curulis . 63 BC As a curular aedile , he supported Marcus Tullius Cicero in the suppression of the Catilinarian conspiracy and increased his reputation through the glamor of the games that he had held. As praetor in 60 BC With Gaius Iulius Caesar's help he received the governorship of Hispania citerior in 59 BC. And the consulate of the year 57 BC. Lentulus played an important role in Cicero's return from exile, and although the relationship between them cooled at times, Cicero speaks of him with great gratitude.

From 56 BC BC to 53 BC Lentulus was governor in Cilicia and Cyprus and was commissioned by the Senate to appoint Ptolemy XII. to return the Egyptian throne. The Sibylline Books had stated that the Pharaoh did not need to be reinstated by an army at the Roman risk.

As provincial governor, Lentulus seems to have cared for the well-being of his subjects and not to enrich himself at their expense. When the civil war broke out in 49 BC Although he owed Caesar thanks, Lentulus sided with Pompey . The generosity with which Caesar treated him after the surrender of Corfinium made him hesitate, but finally decided against him.

Before the Battle of Pharsalus he fought with Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus and Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio for the office of Pontifex Maximus for the time after the victory against Caesar. After losing the battle of Pharsalos against Caesar, Lentulus fled to Rhodes , where he was initially forbidden to land, although he subsequently found asylum there. After Sextus Aurelius Victor , he finally fell into the hands of Caesar and was killed.

His son of the same name Publius Cornelius Lentulus Spinther was also a politician.

literature

Remarks

  1. ^ The prenomen of Lentulus Spinther together with the filiation P. f. appears in the Fasti Capitolini. See T. Robert S. Broughton : The Magistrates Of The Roman Republic. Volume 3: Supplement (= Philological Monographs. Vol. 15, Part 3). Scholars Press, Atlanta GA 1986, ISBN 0-89130-811-3 , p. 69. "Lucius" is accidentally found in some reference works: Hans Georg Gundel : Cornelius I 49. In: Der Kleine Pauly (KlP). Volume 1, Stuttgart 1964, column 1311. Karl-Ludwig Elvers : Cornelius [I 54]. In: The New Pauly (DNP). Volume 3, Metzler, Stuttgart 1997, ISBN 3-476-01473-8 , column 175 f.
  2. ^ Rainer Albert, The Coins of the Roman Republic, No. 1299
  3. ↑ Cicero , De officiis 2, 57 (online).
  4. ↑ Cicero, Ad Atticum 11, 13, 1.
  5. ^ Sextus Aurelius Victor, De viris illustribus 78, 9.
  6. ↑ Caesar, Bellum Civile 1, 15-23, 3, 102; Plutarch , Pompey 49; Valerius Maximus 9, 14, 4; many letters from Cicero, especially Ad Familiares 1, 1–9.
personal data
SURNAME Cornelius Lentulus Spinther, Publius
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Lentulus Spinther, Publius Cornelius; Spinther, Publius Cornelius Lentulus
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Roman consul 57 BC BC, follower of Pompey
DATE OF BIRTH 2nd century BC BC or 1st century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH between 47 BC BC and 46 BC Chr.