Sertorius Quintus
a Roman a general; a native of Nursia, in the country of the Sabines. He served under Marius in the Cimbric War, afterward in Spain, and was made quæstor 91 B. C.
He joined the party of Marius in the Civil War, and commanded the Cinna at the siege of Rome 87 B. c. The license and cruelty of the slaves led him to slay several thousand. Appointed prætor in 83, he went soon after to Spain, but was forced to retire before the forces of Sulla, and went to Africa; but on the invitation of the Lusitanians, returned and put himself at their head to fight for independence. He made himself master of the greater part of Spain, established a senate, founded a school at Osca for the education of young Spaniards in Greek and Roman learning, and to increase the superstitious reverence of the people for his person, gave out that he had communications with the gods through the white fawn which always accompanied him. Metellus Pius was sent against him in 79, but could effect nothing; two years later Pompey joined Metellus, but Sertorius, reinforced by Perperna, held out against both till 72. He entered into negotiations with Mithridates, which caused fresh alarm at Rome. But his influence and popularity were shaken by his despotic acts, and especially by the massacre of all the scholars at Osca; and he was assassinated by Perperna, his ally, at a banquet 72 в. c.