nov 12, 126 BC - 126 BC- Sertorius born

Description:

Sertorius was born in Nursia in Sabine territory around 126 BC.[9] The Sertorius family were of equestrian status. It appears that he did not have any noteworthy ancestors and was thus a novus homo (a "new man"), ie the first of his family to join the Senate.[10] Sertorius' father died before he came of age and his mother, Rhea,[11] focused all her energies on raising her only son. She made sure he received the best education possible for a young man of his status. In return, according to Plutarch, he became excessively fond of his mother.[12] Having inherited his father's clients, like many other young rural aristocrats (domi nobiles), Sertorius sought to begin a political career and thus moved to Rome in his mid-to-late teens trying to make it big as an orator and jurist.[13]

Sertorius' style of rhetoric was "blunt" but effective and bold.[14] His speaking style made a sufficiently negative impression on the young Cicero to merit a special mention in a later treatise on oratory:[15]

Of all the totally illiterate and crude orators, well, actually ranters, I ever knew – and I might as well add 'completely coarse and rustic' – the roughest and readiest were Q. Sertorius ...[16]

After his undistinguished career in Rome as a jurist and an orator, he entered the military

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