A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

662 ROSCIUS. ROSCIUS.
2. Potitius, one of those artists of Roman Gaul, as of ready money and other valuables. Forthwith
-whose names have become known to us by means of a bargain was struck between Chrysogonus and the
the inscriptions preserved in the Museum at Lyons. two Roscii; and the name of Sextus was placed
This artist is designated in the inscription ARTIS on the proscription list, notwithstanding an edict of
ARG EXCLUSSOR, which, there is little doubt, Sulla, that none of the proscribed should be purmeans a maker of silver vases, as R. Rochette has sued after the first of June, B. C. 81. But as the
shown, following the Abbd Greppo, from the use name of Sextus was now on the list, his property
of the word exclusores in this sense, in a passage of was confiscated; Capito obtained three of the
Augustine. (Ad Psalm. lxvii. 31; I)u Cange, farms, and the remaining ten were purchased by
s. v. Exclusor; R. Rochette, Lettre a M. Schorn, Chrysogonus for 2000 denarii, though they were
pp. 441, 442. 2d ed.) [P. S.] worth in reality 250 talents; and Magnus was
ROMUS ('P(c9os). 1. A sons of Odysseus and likewise well rewarded for his share in the business.
Circe. (Steph. Byz. s. v.'AvrEla.) Such a barefaced act of villany excited the utmost
2. The brother of Romulus, who is commonly indignation at Ameria. The decuriones of the
called Remus. (Aelian, V. H. vii. 16.) town accordingly sent ten of the principal citizens
3. A son of Emathion. (Plut. Romul. 2; comp. to Sulla to acquaint him with the real state of the
ROMULUS.) [L. S.] case, and to beg that the name of Roscius might be
RO'SCIA GENS, plebeian, was of considerable erased from the proscription list, in order that his
antiquity, as we read of a L. Roscius as early as son might thus regain possession of his hereditary
B. C. 438 [see Roscius, No. 1]; but the name property. Alarmed at the turn that matters were
does not occur again till the last century of the taking, Chrysogonus had an interview with the
republic. None of its members obtained the con- deputation, and pledged his word that their request
sulship during the republic; but in the imperial should be complied with; and they, probably more
period three persons of this name received this than half-afraid of facing the dictator, were conhonour. The only surnames of the Roman Roscii tented to receive the promise, and returned home
under the republic are FABATUS and OTHO: the without seeing Sulla. These half-measures, howRoscii at Ameria are distinguished by one or two ever, only exposed the younger Roscius to still
other surnames, which are given below. [Ros- greater peril. The robbers saw that they had no
cIus, No. 2.] security for their property as long as he was alive.
ROSCILLUS, a chief of the Allobroges, who They therefore laid snares for his life, and he only
deserted from Caesar to Pompey, along with Aegus, escaped the fate of his father by flying to Rome
another chief of the same people. He is spoken of and taking refuge in the house of Caecilia, the
under AEGUS. daughter of Metellus Balearicus. Here he was
RO'SCIUS. 1. L. RoscIus, a Roman arnbas- quite safe from private assassination. Disappointed
sador sent to Fidenae in B. c. 438. He and his of getting rid of him secretly, his enemies resolved
three colleagues were killed by the inhabitants of to murder him judicially. They accordingly hired
Fidenae, at the instigation of Lar Tolumnius, king a certain C. Erucius to accuse him of the murder
of the Veientes. The statues of all four were of his father, and they paid a sufficient number of
erected in the Rostra at Rome. (Liv. iv. 17; Cic. witnesses to swear to the fact. They felt sure of
Phil. ix. 2; Plin. H. N. xxxiv. 6. s. 11.) a verdict against the accused, as they did not
2. SEx. Roscius, of Ameria, a town in believe that any person of influence would underUTmbria, now Amelia, was accused of the murder take his defence; and even if he could obtain an
of his father in a. c. 80, and was defended by advocate, they were convinced that his counsel
Cicero in an oration which is still extant, and would not dare, by speaking of the sale of the prowhich was the first that the orator delivered in a perty, to bring any accusation against the powerful
criminal cause. The following are the circumstances freedman of Sulla. In this, however, they were
under which the prosecution arose. Sex. Roscius disappointed. Cicero, who was burning for dishad a father of the same name, who was one of tinction, saw that this was a most favourable opthe most wealthy citizens of Ameria. The father portunity for gaining glory, and readily undertook
bore an unblemished character, but had for certain the defence. He did not hesitate to attack Chryreasons incurred the enmity of two of his relations sogonus with the utmost severity, and so evident
and fellow-townsmen, T. Roscius Magnus and T. was the guilt of the accusers, and so clear the inRoscius Capito, who not only hated the person, but nocence of the accused, that the judices had no
coveted the wealth of their neighbour. Sextus alternative left but the acquittal of Roscius. It
frequently visited Rome, where he lived on terms was the first trial for murder that had come before
of intimacy with Metellus, Servilius, and other the judices since the judicia had been taken from
Roman nobles. On one of these visits to the the equites and restored to the senators by Sulla,
capital he was assassinated near the Palatine baths, and they were unwilling to give to the popular
as he was returning in the evening from a banquet. party such a handle against them as the condemnaHis enemy, Magnus, who was at Rome at the time, tion of Roscius would have supplied. Besides
and who had doubtless hired the assassins, imme- which Sulla allowed the court to exercise an undiately despatched a messenger with the news to biassed judgment, and did not interfere for the
Capito at Ameria, but without informing the sake of gratifying the wishes of his favourite.
younger Sextus, who was likewise at Ameria, of Cicero's speech was greatly admired at the time,
the death of his father. Four days afterwards and though at a later period he found fault with it
Chrysogonus, the freedman and favourite of Sulla, himself, as bearing marks of youthful exaggeration,
who was at Volaterrae in Etruria, was likewise it displays abundant evidence of his great oratorical
acquainted with the event. He learnt that the powers. (Comp. Cic. Orat. 30, de Off. ii. 14;
property which Roscius had left behind him was Plut. Cic. 3; Drumann, Geschicklte Roms, vol. v.
considerable, consisting of not less than thirteen pp. 234-244.)
farms, lying foy the most part on the Tiber, as well 3. Q. RoscIus, the most celebrated comic actor