Sextius
➳ orth. Sestius plus répandue.
Some persons whose names occur under this form in several editions of the ancient writers, are given under Sestius.
1. Sextius, tribune of the plebs B. C. 414, proposed that a colony should be sent to Bolae. (Liv. 4.49.)
2. M. Sextius Sabinus, plebeian aedile B. C. 203, and praetor in the following year, B. C. 202, when he obtained Gaul as his province. (Liv. 30.26, 27.)
3. Sextius, quaestor of the consul L. Calpurnius Bestia, in Numidia, B. C. 111. (Sall. Jug. 29.)
4. P. Sextius, praetor designates B. C. 100, was accused of bribery by T. Junius, and condemned. (Cic. Brut. 48.)
5. Sextius, the proximus lictor of C. Verres, in Sicily, and his favourite executioner. (Cic. Ver. 3.67 5.45, 54.)
6. P. Sextius Baculus, a primipili centurio in Caesar's army in Gaul, distinguished himself on many occasions by his great bravery. (Caes. Gal. 2.25, 3.5, 6.38.)
7. T. Sextius, one of Caesar's legates in Gaul, took an active part in the campaign against Vercingetorix in B. C. 52, and was stationed for winterquarters, with one legion, among the Bituriges (Caes. Gal. 6.1, 7.49, 90). On the death of Julius Caesar in B. C. 44, Sextius was in possession of the province of Nunmidia, or New Africa, while Q. Cornificius held that of Old Africa. The two governors became involved in war with one another, the causes and details of which are related differently by Appian and Dio Cassius. The latter writer represents Sextius as governing New Africa for Antony, and Cornificius Old Africa for Octavian ; and Appian at one time speaks of Sextius as holding his province for one triumvir, and at another time for the other. But the real fact seems to have been that Sextius availed himself of the troubles in Italy to extend his own power in Africa, and, accordingly, in the name of the triumvirs, required Cornificius, who was a partizan of the senate, to evacuate his province. Upon the refusal of the latter, Sextius marched against him. He was at first unsuccessful, but eventually defeated and slew Cornificius, and thus obtained possession of both provinces (D. C. 48.21; Appian, App. BC 3.85, 4.53-56; Liv. Epit. 123). In the new division of the Roman provinces after the battle of Philippi. B. C. 42, Octavian obtained New Africa; and Sextius was therefore ordered by L. Antonius to hand over this province to C. Fango, the legate of Octavian. He obeyed, but still remained it Old Africa, hoping that the present harmony between Octavian and Antony would not be of long continuance. He had not to wait long ; for on the breaking out of the Perusinian war, soon afterwards, Fulvia and L. Antonius urged him to take possession of New Africa. He accordingly marched against Fango, whom he defeated and drove into the hills, where he put an end to his life [Fango]. Thus Sextius again obtained the command of both provinces, but he was unable to keep them long; since Lepidus, after the conclusion of the Perusinian war, received both Old and New Africa as his share of the Roman world, and landed in the country with an army of six legions. Sextius could not resist this force, and accordingly resigned the government to the triumvir. (D. C. 48.22-24; Appian, App. BC 5.12, 26, 75.)
8. Sextius Naso, B. C. 44. [Naso.]
9. Q. Sextius, one of the conspirators against Q. Cassius Longinus, quaestor of Further Spain, in B. C. 48. On the suppression of the conspiracy, he purchased his life from Longinus, by giving him a sum of money (Hirt. B. Alex. 55). He is called M. Silius by Valerius Maximus (9.4.2).
10. Q. Sextius, a contemporary of Julius Caesar, and a Stoic philosopher, whose praises are frequently celebrated by Seneca. The latter particularly admired one of his works (Senec. Ep. 64). For further information respecting him see Senec. Ep. 73, 98, de Ira, 3.36, and Sextus, No. 11.
[Paconianus.]
or Sestius. (1) Publius. A Roman who was quaestor in B.C. 63, and tribune of the plebs in 57. Like Milo, he kept a band of armed retainers to oppose P. Clodius and his partisans; and in the following year (56) he was accused of vis on account of his violent acts during his tribunate. He was defended by Cicero in an oration still extant, and was acquitted on the 14th of March, chiefly in consequence of the powerful influence of Pompey. On the breaking out of the Civil War in 49, Sextius first espoused Pompey's party, but he afterwards joined Caesar. See Cic. Pro Sest.; Ad Att. iii. 19, 20, 22; iv. 3, etc.
(2) Titus. One of Caesar's legati in Gaul, and afterwards the governor of the province of Numidia at the time of Caesar's death (B.C. 44). Here he waged war against Q. Cornificius, whom he defeated and slew in battle (Caes. B. G. vi. 1; B. C. iv. 53, 75).