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

844 SITTIUS. SMERDIS.
At length he allowed Dryas and Cleitus to fight equally successful against Sabtrra, whom he defor her, promising to give her to the conqueror. feated and slew. Shortly afterwards L. Afranins
Pallene, who loved Cleitus, caused her own and Faustus Sulla, who had fled from Utica with
instructor Persyntes to induce the charioteer of 1500 cavalry into Mauritania, with the intention
Dryas to draw out the nails from the wheels of his of crossing over into Spain, were intercepted by
master's chariot, so that during the fight he broke Sittius, who was marching with a small body of
down with his chariot, and was killed by Cleitus. troops to join Caesar, were taken prisoners, and
Sithon, who was informed of the trick, erected a sent to Caesar. About the same time the fleet of
funeral pile, on which he intended to burn the Sittius, which was stationed at Hippo Regius,
corpse of Dryas and his own daughter; but when captured the ships in which Scipio and other futhe pile was ready, Aphrodite appeared, a shower gitives were endeavouring to quit the country. On
of rain extinguished the fire, and Sithon altered leaving Africa, Caesar rewarded the services of
his mind, and gave his daughter to Cleitus. Sittius and Bocchus by granting to them the wes(Parthen. Eiot. 5; Conon, Narr. 10; Tzetz. ad tern part of Numidia, which had been previously
Lycoph. 583, 1161; comp. CLsITUS.) [L. R.] under the sway of Masinissa, a friend and ally of
SITO (,~rcj), a surname of Demeter, describing Juba. Sittius settled down in the portion which
her as the giver of food or corn. (Athen. x. p. 416, had been assigned to him, and distributed the land
iii. p. 109; Aelian, V. H. i. 27; Eustath. ad Hom. among his soldiers. After the death of Caesar,
P. 265.) [L. S.] Arabio, the son of Masinissa, who had fought in
SI'TTIUS or SI'TIUS. 1. P. SITTIUS, of Spain under the sons of Pompey, returned to Africa,
Nuceria in Campania, was one of the adventurers, drove Bocchus out of his hereditary dominions, and
bankrupt in character and fortune, but possessing killed Sittius by stratagem. (Cic. pro Sull. 20;
considerable ability, who abounded in Rome during Sall. Cat. 21; Hirt. B. Afr. 25, 30, 36, 93, 95, 96;
the latter years of the republic. He was connected Dion Cass. xliii. 3, 4, 8, 9, 12; Appian, B. C. iv.
with Catiline, and went to Spain in B. c. 64, from 54; Cic. ad Att. xv. 17, " Arabioni de Sitio nihil
which country he crossed over into Mauritania in irascor.")
the following year. It was said that P. Sulla had 2. SITTIUS, of Cales in Campania, was proscribed
sent him into Spain to excite an insurrection by the triumvirs in B. C. 43, but at the request of
against the Roman government; and Cicero accord- his townsmen was allowed to live as an exile at his
ingly, when he defended Sulla, in B. c. 62, was native place. (Appian, B. C. iv. 47.)
obliged also to undertake the defence of his friend SIXTUS,' the third of that name who occupied
Sittius, and to deny the truth of the charges that had the papal chair, succeeded Coelestinus in A. D. 432,
been brought against him. The orator represented and died A. D. 440. He is known as an author
Sittius as his own friend, and pointed out how merely from some formal letters possessing no parhis father had remained true to the Romans during ticular interest. They will be found in the Episthe Marsic war. (Cic. pro Sull. 20.) Sittius, how- tolae Pontificum Romanoruns of Constant, vol. i.
ever, did not return to Rome. His property in p. 1229. fol. Paris, 1721, and in the Bibliotheca
Italy was sold to pay his debts, and he continued Patreuu of Galland, vol. ix. p. 518, fol. Venet.
in Africa, where he fought with great success in 1773. [W. R.]
the wars of the kings of the country, selling his SLECAS, a gem-engraver, only known by a
services first to one prince and then to another. gem inscribed with the name CAEKAR, which is,
The reputation he had acquired gradually attracted however, of a very suspicious form. (Bracci, i. p.
troops to his standard; and at the time that Caesar 234.) [P. S.]
landed in Africa, in B.c. 46, he was at the head of SMERDIS (Z:/Ep~rs), the son of Cyrus, the
a considerable force both by land and by sea. founder of the Persian empire, accompanied his
Although Sittius had not previously had any con- elder brother Cambyses to Egypt, but was sent
nection with Caesar, he resolved to espouse his back by the latter to Susa, because he was the only
cause, foreseeing that Caesar. would be victorious one of all the Persians who was strong enough to
in Africa as elsewhere, and that he himself would bend the bow which the king of the Ethiopians
be liberally rewarded for his services. Sittius had sent to the Persian monarch. Shortly after.
came to the assistance of Caesar at the time when wards Cambyses dreamt that a messenger came to
his aid was most needed, for he had landed in him from Persia, announcing that his brother was
Africa with only a small number of his troops, and seated on the royal throne with his head reaching
ran the risk of being overwhelmed by the superior to the skies. Alarmed at this dream portending
number of the enemy. Joined by Bocchus, king his brother's greatness, he sent a confidential serof Mauritania, Sittius invaded Numidia, took Cirta, vant named Prexaspes to Susa with express orders
the capital of the kingdom, and laid waste the to put Smerdis to death. Prexaspes fulfilled his
Gaetulian dominions of Juba. The latter monarch, commission, murdered Smerdis secretly, and buried
who was advancing with a large army to assist him with his own hands. Among the few perScipio against-Caesar, forthwith returned to the de- sons who were privy to the murder was Patizeifence of his own dominions, contenting himself thee, a Magian, who had been left by Cambyses in
with sending thirty elephants to the support of charge of his palace and treasures. This person
Scipio. This retreat of Juba saved Caesar from had a brother who bore the same name as the
destruction, as the latter had no forces sufficient to deceased prince, and strongly resembled him in
resist the united armies of Scipio and Juba. Of the person; and as most of the Persians believed
operations of Juba against Sittius and Bocchus, we Smerdis to be alive, and were disgusted and
know nothing; but the Numidian king soon after- alarmed at the frantic tyranny of Cambyses, he
wards joined Scipio, at the earnest request of the resolved to proclaim this brother as king, reprelatter, leaving his general Saburra to oppose Sittius senting him as the younger son of the great Cyrus.
and Bocchus. While Caesar defeated Scipio and Cambyses hearl of the revolt in Syria, but he died
Juba in the decisive battle of Thapsus, Sittius was of an accidental wound in the thigh, as he was