Publius Cornelius Sulla

Publius Cornelius Sulla (died 45 BC) was a politician of the late Roman Republic and the nephew of Lucius Cornelius Sulla.

Publius Cornelius Sulla and his brother Servius were born the sons of an otherwise unknown Servius Cornelius Sulla, the brother of Lucius Cornelius Sulla.

Despite being Sulla's nephew, Publius does not seem have played a prominent role in either the civil wars or the dictatorship of his famous uncle. However, he may indeed have served as a junior officer during this time, alongside his contemporary Lucius Sergius Catiline, who definitely did serve with distinction in the Sullan Civil Wars. Publius was later to be closely associated with Catiline, and it is possible that it was as fellow officers under his uncle that this association began.

In 81 BC, during the dictatorship of his uncle, Cicero records that Publius used what influence he had through his close familial connection to beg mercy for several of the proscribed, and was indeed successful in having them saved. Following the death of Lucius Cornelius Sulla in 78 BC, Publius likely inherited a portion of his estate.

Having presumably worked his way up the cursus honorum, achieving the pre-requisite offices of quaestor and praetor at an earlier date, in 66 BC Sulla stood for election to the consulship (to assume office in 65 BC). Sulla was elected consul by the unanimous vote of all the centuries and with Publius Autronius as his colleague. However, the two were not to enjoy their success for long as soon after the result had been declared Lucius Manlius Torquatus and Lucius Aurelius Cotta, who had both stood against Sulla in the election and lost, accused those who had defeated them of bribery. Impeached on this charge, Sulla and Autronius were tried, convicted and, under the Lex Acilia Calpurnia, deprived of their office and expelled from the Senate.

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