Publius Sestius Capitolinus Vaticanus

Publius Sestius Capitolinus Vaticanus was a Roman politician in the 5th century BC, consul in 452 BC and decemvir in 451 BC.

Publius Sestius Capitolinus Vaticanus
Consul of the Roman Republic
In office 1 August 452 BC[1] – 31 July 451 BC Serving with Titus Menenius Lanatus (consul 452 BC)
Preceded by	Spurius Furius Medullinus Fusus (consul 464 BC), Publius Curiatius Fistus Trigeminus
Succeeded by	Appius Claudius Crassus, Titus Genucius Augurinus
First College of Decemvirs
In office 451 BC – 450 BC Serving with Appius Claudius Crassus, Titus Genucius Augurinus, Gaius Julius Iulus (consul 482 BC), Aulus Manlius Vulso, Servius Sulpicius Camerinus Cornutus (consul 461 BC), Publius Curiatius Fistus Trigeminus, Titus Romilius Rocus Vaticanus and Spurius Postumius Albus Regillensis (consul 466 BC)
Preceded by	(position established)
Succeeded by	Second College of Decemvirs
Personal details
Born	Unknown Ancient Rome
Died	Unknown Ancient Rome

Family

He was a member of the Gens Sestii. He was the son of Quintus and his complete name is Publius Sestius Q.f. Vibi.n. Capitolinus Vaticanus.[2] Livy gives the form Sextius[3] then Sestius.[4] Dionysius of Halicarnassus uses the form Siccius. His cognomen Capitolinus is not certain - we also see Capito being used.[5] He was the only member of his family to attain the rank of consul.

Biography

Consulship

In 452 BC, he was consul with Titus Menenius Lanatus.[6][2] During their consulship, the delegates left to study Greek law in Athens. After returning to Rome, the tribunes of the plebs called together officials to create a commission to write the law down. Publius Sestius supported this proposition, contrary to his colleague Titus Menenius, who pondered the question before falling ill - then was rendered inactive until the end of his term as consul.[2] Publius Sestius refused to take sole initiative in creating the commission, and so deferred the decision to the following year.[7]

Decemvirate

In 451 BC, because of his vocal support, he was taken into the first commission of the decemvirs which drew up the first ten tables of the Law of the Twelve Tables.[5][8][9][10]

References

1. Robert Maxwell Ogilvie, Commentary on Livy, books 1–5, Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1965, pp. 404, 405.
2. Broughton 1951, p. 44.
3. Livy, Ab urbe condita, III. 32.5
4. Livy, Ab urbe condita, III. 33.3
5. Broughton 1951, p. 45.
6. Livy, Ab urbe condita, III. 32
7. Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities, X. 54
8. Livy, Ab urbe condita, III. 33-34
9. Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica, XII. 9
10. Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities, X. 55

Bibliography

Ancient bibliography

• Livy, Ab urbe condita
• (in French) Diodorus Siculus, Universal History, Book XII, 9 at Philippe Remacle
• Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities, Book X, 1-16, and Book X, 45-63 at LacusCurtius

Modern bibliography

• Broughton, T. Robert S. (1951), "The Magistrates of the Roman Republic", Philological Monographs, number XV, volume I, New York: The American Philological Association, vol. I, 509 B.C. - 100 B.C.