08-15-2013, 09:18 AM
He was indeed in Spain.
Appian (Civil Wars II.105): following Munda and the fall of Cordoba, Sextus "for the moment lay low and slipped from place to place, raiding." This suggests he was fighting a guerilla war, initially commanding only a handful of men.
(II.122) At the time of the Ides Sextus "was still fighting Caesar's commanders in Spain," so he had presumably gathered quite a sizeable army by this point. The Liberators advised the Senate to order his recall. Off the top of my head, I think that one of these Caesarian commanders opposing Sextus might have been Asinius Pollio - Cicero's letters to him place him in Spain the following year at least.
(III.4) Shortly afterwards, Antonius himself "proposed to recall from Spain the son of the still universally and deeply missed Pompeius, Sextus Pompeius, who was contining the war against Caesar's generals. Antonius also proposed that in place of his father's property, which had been confiscated [and bought by Antonius himself!] Sextus should be given fifty milion denarii from the public funds, and that he should now be supreme commander at sea, as his father had been, and have the immediate use of Roman ships anywhere to meet emergencies. The Senate was amazed at these provisions, but accepted them with enthusiasm and spent the whole day blessing Antonius." [Antonius later explains (III.36) that he did this to 'ensnare the Senate and bring it over to my side']
By IV.25 Sextus is already controlling Sicily and welcoming fugitives from the proscriptions. So we could assume that the Senate carried on Antonius's orders and gave Sextus the naval command.
Appian (Civil Wars II.105): following Munda and the fall of Cordoba, Sextus "for the moment lay low and slipped from place to place, raiding." This suggests he was fighting a guerilla war, initially commanding only a handful of men.
(II.122) At the time of the Ides Sextus "was still fighting Caesar's commanders in Spain," so he had presumably gathered quite a sizeable army by this point. The Liberators advised the Senate to order his recall. Off the top of my head, I think that one of these Caesarian commanders opposing Sextus might have been Asinius Pollio - Cicero's letters to him place him in Spain the following year at least.
(III.4) Shortly afterwards, Antonius himself "proposed to recall from Spain the son of the still universally and deeply missed Pompeius, Sextus Pompeius, who was contining the war against Caesar's generals. Antonius also proposed that in place of his father's property, which had been confiscated [and bought by Antonius himself!] Sextus should be given fifty milion denarii from the public funds, and that he should now be supreme commander at sea, as his father had been, and have the immediate use of Roman ships anywhere to meet emergencies. The Senate was amazed at these provisions, but accepted them with enthusiasm and spent the whole day blessing Antonius." [Antonius later explains (III.36) that he did this to 'ensnare the Senate and bring it over to my side']
By IV.25 Sextus is already controlling Sicily and welcoming fugitives from the proscriptions. So we could assume that the Senate carried on Antonius's orders and gave Sextus the naval command.
Nathan Ross
