Lucius Sextius

Lucius Sextius Lateranus was a Roman tribune of the plebs and is noted for having been one of two men (the other being Gaius Licinius) behind the Lex Licinia Sextia, permitting him in 366 BC to become what is often considered the "first plebeian consul". This last is a controversial statement as some historians consider that something near a third of early consuls have names stemming from plebeian families. It has been suggested that the later Roman historians, from whom this claim is drawn, may have been colouring their own class struggles on this time period (See Conflict of the Orders). Whatever the truth behind the claim, the Lex Licinia Sextia worked to ensure that one of the two annually elected consuls could be plebeian. It was not until the Lex Genucia of 342 BC that one of the consuls had to be plebeian, despite contrary claims by some of our sources.

Perhaps more remarkable than the actual law, is the degree to which Lucius Sextius and Gaius Licinius were able to disrupt the normal election of major magistrates (no curule magistrates were elected from 375 BC to 371 BC after which problems with the city of Velitrae prompted them to permit the elections) and therefore help to set the stage for the law that would lead to the resumption of the consulship but with a forced plebeian seat.

Biographical facts

Basic data

• Full Name: Lucius Sextius Sextus (filius) N. (nepos) Sextinus Lateranus

Offices held

• Tribune of the Plebs 375 BC – 367 BC
• Consul 366 BC (co-consul to Lucius Aemilius Mamercus)

Notable actions

• Responsible, with Gaius Licinius, for the Lex Licinia Sextia in 367 BC
• Became first of the new yearly required plebeian consuls in 366 BC

See also

• Sextia (gens)