Sulpicia (Crus)
Encyclopedia
Sulpicia was the wife of Lucius Cornelius Lentulus Crus
(Cruscellio, Cruscello, Truscellio). Lentulus was the son of Gnaes Cornelius Lentulus.
Sulpicia's mother was Tullia ("Julia") Caesaris (ca. 86 BC – 34 BC) and her father was Servius Sulpicius Rufus
(ca. 106 BC – 43 BC).
's. Her husband was also a legally condemned outlaw and proscribed by the triumvirs in the same year of 43 BC. He fled from Rome secretly and went to join the military of Sextus Pompeius
in Sicily. Once she knew where he was safely, then she joined him. This was not an easy task however. Her mother, whom she had a close relationship with, was keeping a very close eye on her so she wouldn't go to her husband in exile.
Sulpicia however did a ruse and dressed like a little slave girl. She then took two other little slave girls and two slave boys with her and escaped from her mother's watchful eyes. She was not afraid of being persecuted and was very dedicated to her husband. She was willing to risk her life for his love. Upon arriving in the Sicily area, she soon learned where Lentulus was. He was supposed to be a praetor
but his attitude did not reflect this. He was found in the gutter with unkempt hair eating rotten food mourning for his lovely wife.
Lucius Cornelius Lentulus Crus
Lucius Cornelius Lentulus, surnamed Crus or Cruscello , was a member of the anti-Caesarian party.In 61 BC he was the chief accuser of Publius Clodius in the affair of the festival of Bona Dea...
(Cruscellio, Cruscello, Truscellio). Lentulus was the son of Gnaes Cornelius Lentulus.
Sulpicia's mother was Tullia ("Julia") Caesaris (ca. 86 BC – 34 BC) and her father was Servius Sulpicius Rufus
Servius Sulpicius Rufus
Servius Sulpicius Rufus , surnamed Lemonia from the tribe to which he belonged, was a Roman orator and jurist.He studied rhetoric with Cicero, and accompanied him to Rhodes in 78 BC. Finding that he would never be able to rival his teacher he gave up rhetoric for law...
(ca. 106 BC – 43 BC).
Life
Sulpicia's story is much like CuriaCuria
A curia in early Roman times was a subdivision of the people, i.e. more or less a tribe, and with a metonymy it came to mean also the meeting place where the tribe discussed its affairs...
's. Her husband was also a legally condemned outlaw and proscribed by the triumvirs in the same year of 43 BC. He fled from Rome secretly and went to join the military of Sextus Pompeius
Sextus Pompeius
Sextus Pompeius Magnus Pius, in English Sextus Pompey , was a Roman general from the late Republic . He was the last focus of opposition to the Second Triumvirate...
in Sicily. Once she knew where he was safely, then she joined him. This was not an easy task however. Her mother, whom she had a close relationship with, was keeping a very close eye on her so she wouldn't go to her husband in exile.
Sulpicia however did a ruse and dressed like a little slave girl. She then took two other little slave girls and two slave boys with her and escaped from her mother's watchful eyes. She was not afraid of being persecuted and was very dedicated to her husband. She was willing to risk her life for his love. Upon arriving in the Sicily area, she soon learned where Lentulus was. He was supposed to be a praetor
Praetor
Praetor was a title granted by the government of Ancient Rome to men acting in one of two official capacities: the commander of an army, usually in the field, or the named commander before mustering the army; and an elected magistratus assigned varied duties...
but his attitude did not reflect this. He was found in the gutter with unkempt hair eating rotten food mourning for his lovely wife.
Primary sources
- Appian, The Civil Wars Book four [39]
- Valerius Maximus, Memorable Deeds and Sayings 6.7.1-3.
Secondary sources
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology page 733 (v. 2)
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, page 943 (v. 3)
- The Education of a Christian Woman: A Sixteenth-Century Manual By Juan Luis Vives, pp. 187, 338, 342; University of Chicago Press (2000); ISBN 0226858154