Publius Servilius Vatia Isauricus (consul 79 BCE)

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Publius Servilius Vatia Isauricus was a Roman Consul, appointed by the dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla as consul for 79 BC. He was the father of the consul of 48 BC and 41 BC, Publius Servilius Vatia Isauricus.

After his consulship he went as proconsular governor to Cilicia, where he fought a campaign against pirates and the Isauri. Upon his return to Rome he triumphed in 74 BC and was given the agnomen Isauricus. (Liv. Epit. 90, 93; Oros. v. 23 ; Flor. iii. 6 ; Eutrop. vi. 3 ; Strab. xiv. pp. 667, 671 ; Frontin. Strat. iii. 7. § 1; Cic. Verr. i. 21, iii. 90, v. 26, 30, de Leg. Agr. i. 2, ii. 19 ; Val. Max. viii. 5. § 6 ; comp. Drumann, GescUchte Roms, vol. iv. pp. 396, 397.)

After his return to Rome, Vatia served as one of the judges in the trial of Gaius Verres and he supported the effort to give Pompey the command of the war against the pirates. In 63 BC he was a candidate for pontifex maximus, but was defeated by Julius Caesar, who had served under him in the war against the pirates. In 55 BC he was elected censor. He took no part in the civil wars and died in 44 BC.

Preceded by
Lucius Cornelius Sulla and Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius
Consul of the Roman Republic
with Appius Claudius Pulcher
79 BC
Succeeded by
Marcus Aemilius Lepidus and Quintus Lutatius Catulus