Publius Cornelius Sulla
This article needs additional citations for verification. (November 2014) |
Publius Cornelius Sulla (died c. 45 BC) was a politician of the late
Early life
Publius Cornelius Sulla was the son of an otherwise unknown brother of
Despite being Sulla's nephew, Publius does not seem have played a prominent role in either the civil war or the dictatorship of his famous uncle. However, he may have served as a junior officer during this time, alongside his contemporary Lucius Sergius Catilina, who is known to have served with distinction in the Sullan Civil Wars. Publius was later to be closely associated with Catiline, and it is possible that it was as fellow officers under his uncle that this association began.
In 81 BC, during the dictatorship of his uncle, Cicero records that Publius used what influence he had through his close familial connection to request mercy for several of the proscribed, and was successful in having them spared.[3] Following the death of Lucius Cornelius Sulla in 78 BC, Publius likely inherited a portion of his estate.
In 80 BC Publius set up the city of Pompeii as a Roman colony under the name of 'Colonia Cornelia Veneria Pompeianorum'. The name meaning, Pompeii a colony of the Cornelii dedicated to Venus. The people of Pompeii seem to have liked him as they came in support of him in his trial in 62 BC.
Consulship scandal and First Catilinarian conspiracy
Having presumably worked his way up the
A second round of elections were held in which Torquatus and Cotta were successful, replacing those they had removed as the consuls-designate for 65 BC. It was now that the so-called
It is alleged by the Roman historian Sallust that Catiline, a friend of both Sulla and Autronius, attempted to stand in the second round of elections against Torquatus and Cotta but was prevented in doing so because he had only recently emerged from a trial for extortion and, although he had been acquitted, was not permitted to stand for any office until three weeks had elapsed. This was the second time Catiline had been denied his chance at the consulship, and, incensed, he formed a conspiracy along with the deposed Sulla and Autronius, as well as Gnaeus Piso, against Cotta and Torquatus. The plan was apparently no less than to murder the two new Consuls-Elect on the very day they were to assume office, 1 January 65 BC, and to seize the government and Consulship for themselves.[7] The preparations of the conspirators were however detected and they first postponed their planned coup to February, before abandoning it altogether; the conspiracy therefore coming to naught.[8]
There is much doubt as to whether the
Implication in the Second Catilinarian conspiracy
Following the disgrace of his conviction and expulsion from the Senate, Sulla's political career and reputation was completely destroyed and he could play no further part in public life. Humiliated and impoverished, Sulla reputedly joined the disreputable circle of desperate and dissolute nobles gathering around Catiline to form the Second Catilinarian Conspiracy. Catiline and his followers believed they had been robbed of the power that was rightfully theirs, and were committed to take it by any means necessary.
Sulla, his cousins Publius and Servius,
Career in Caesar's Civil War
In 49 BC, when
Sulla commanded the right wing of Caesar's army at the Battle of Pharsalus.[14] In the battle, the Caesarians were victorious and the defeated Pompey fled to Egypt, where he was murdered.
Publius Cornelius Sulla died in 45 BC.
References
- ^ Cassius Dio, 36.42.3
- ^ Cassius Dio, 36.42.3
- ^ Cicero, Pro Sulla, 26.
- ^ Cicero, Pro Sulla, 32.
- ^ Cassius Dio, 36.44.3
- ^ Sallust, 18.2
- ^ Cassius Dio, 36.44.3
- ^ Sallust, Conspiracy of Catiline, 18.
- ^ Sallust, Conspiracy of Catiline, 17.
- ^ Cicero, Pro Sulla
- ^ Cicero, Pro Sulla, 6.
- ^ Caesar, Civil War, 3.51
- ^ Caesar, Civil War, 3.51.
- ^ Caesar, Civil War, 3.89
Further reading
- Badian, Ernst (2012). "Cornelius Sulla, Publius". Oxford Classical Dictionary (4th ed.). ISBN 978-0-19-938113-5.
- Münzer, Fredrich (1900). Wikisource. . Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft (in German). Vol. IV, 1. Stuttgart: Butcher. cols. 1518–21 – via
External links
- Cicero, Pro P. Sulla, English translation at attalus.org