Publius Sittius

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Publius Sittius († spring 44 BC in North Africa) was a Roman knight and political adventurer in the late Republic .

His family came from Nuceria Alfaterna in Campania. The eponymous father of Publius Sittius remained in the Social War the Romans faithful. His son was a follower of Lucius Sergius Catilina , for whom he is said to have recruited troops in Spain during the "First Catilinarian Conspiracy", with whom, according to Sallust, he stood ready in North Africa in 64. He had business relationships in both countries. At the same time he was friends with Catilina's opponent Marcus Tullius Cicero , who took Sittius under protection when he 62 BC. Held his defense speech for Publius Cornelius Sulla ; Sulla had sold his property in Italy on behalf of Sittius. From then on, Sittius stayed in North Africa as the leader of his mercenary army; it is unclear whether he was exiled or on the run from believers. However, he was still connected with Rome, as a letter from Cicero addressed to him from the 1950s and a mention in letters of Marcus Caelius Rufus in 51 show.

When the Roman Civil War in 46 BC BC invaded North Africa, Sittius stood together with his friend King Bocchus II of Mauritania on the side of Gaius Julius Caesar . He attacked the kingdom of King Iuba I of Numidia , who was allied with the Pompeians , and was able to split the opposing forces because Iuba had to deploy troops to defend his territory. Later he conquered a fortress that was important for the supplies of Iuba.

After the Battle of Thapsus , Sittius prevented a victory over Saburra , a general of Iubas, further resistance of the Pompey supporters in North Africa and was able to capture several of their leaders, including Faustus Cornelius Sulla and Lucius Afranius . He is also said to have had his own fleet, whose appearance in front of Hippo Regius forced the leader of the Pompeians, Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio , to commit suicide.

Caesar gave him dominion over the area around the city of Cirta (now Constantine ), where a Roman colonia was established. Sittius settled his soldiers there, who named themselves Sittiani after him ; in Pliny the Elder , Cirta appears as Colonia Cirta Sittianorum . The Gentiliz Sittius was also widespread in North Africa during the imperial era. In the spring of 44 BC BC Sittius was murdered by the Numid Arabion, whose family had previously ruled in Cirta.

literature

  • Hans Georg Gundel : Sittius 3rd In: The Little Pauly (KlP). Volume 5, Stuttgart 1975, Col. 219 f.
  • Jacques Heurgon : La lettre de Cicéron à P. Sittius (Ad Fam., V, 17) . In: Latomus 9 (1950), pp. 369-377.
  • Markus Müller: The "Bellum Africum". A historical-philological commentary on chapters 1-47 . Dissertation Trier 2001, urn : nbn: de: hbz: 385-2671 (PDF; 2.8 MB).
  • Israel Shatzman: Senatorial Wealth and Roman Politics . Brussels 1975, pp. 309-310; 335.
  • Vito Antonio Sirago: Collegamento di Africa e Spagna nelle avventure di P. Sittius nocerino . In: L'Africa Romana IX . Sassari 1992, pp. 939-952.

Remarks

  1. ^ Marcus Tullius Cicero , Pro Sulla 58 .
  2. ^ Sallust, Coniuratio Catilinae 21 . See Cicero, Pro Sulla 56 .
  3. ↑ Cicero, Pro Sulla 56-59 .
  4. ^ Cicero, ad familiares 5, 17 .
  5. ↑ Cicero, ad familiares 8, 2, 2 ; 8, 4, 5 ; 8, 8, 10 ; 8, 9, 3 ; 8, 11, 4 . See Shatzman, Senatorial Wealth and Roman Politics , pp. 309-310.
  6. ↑ Pseudo-Caesar, bellum Africum 25 and 48 ; Cassius Dio 43, 3 ( English translation ).
  7. ↑ Pseudo-Caesar, bellum Africum 36 .
  8. ↑ Pseudo-Caesar, bellum Africum 93 .
  9. ↑ Pseudo-Caesar, bellum Africum 95 ; Cassius Dio 43, 12, 2.
  10. ↑ Pseudo-Caesar, bellum Africum 96 ; Cassius Dio 43, 9, 5 ( English translation ). It was assumed that the fleet consisted of ships that served the grain supply of Rome in the peace, cf. Müller, Das Bellum Africum , p. 354, note 1736.
  11. ↑ For another, probably inapplicable suggestion of localization (the later Sicca Veneria , today Le Kef) see Müller, Das Bellum Africum , pp. 209–210, note 980.
  12. ^ Appian , Civil Wars , 4, 54, 232-233 ( English translation ).
  13. ^ Appian, Civil Wars , 4, 54, 233; Cicero, ad Atticum 15, 17, 7 (from June 14, 44 BC): Arabioni de Sittio nihil irascor “I do not resent Arabio about the matter with Sittius”.
personal data
SURNAME Sittius, Publius
BRIEF DESCRIPTION roman knight
DATE OF BIRTH 2nd century BC BC or 1st century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 44 BC Chr.
Place of death North africa