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Pictor

6. Ser. Fabius Pictor, probably a son of No. 5, was a contemporary of A. Postumius Albinus, who was consul it. 100.51, and is said by Cicero to have been well skilled in law, literature, and antiquity (Brut. 21). He appears to be the same as the Fabius Pictor who wrote a work De Jure Pontificio, in several books, which is quoted by Nonius (s. vv. Picunmus and Polubrnm). We also have quotations front this work in Gellius (1.12, 10.15) and Macrobius (Macr. 3.2). This Ser. Fabius probably wrote Annals likewise in the Latin language, since Cicero (Cic. de Orat. 2.12) speaks of a Latin annalist, Pictor, whom he places after Cato, but before Piso; which corresponds with the time at which Ser. Pictor lived, but could not be applicable to Q. Pictor, who lived in the time of the second Panic War. Now as we know that Q. Pictor wrote his history in Greek, it is probable, as has been already remarked under No. 4, that the passages referring to a Latin history of Fabius Pictor relate to this Ser. Pictor. (Krause, Ibid. p. 132, &c.)

The annexed coin was struck by some member of this family, but it cannot be assigned with certainty to any of the persons above mentioned. It bears on the obverse a head of Pallas, and on the reverse a figure of Rome, seated, with the legend of N. FABI N. PICTOR. On the shield we find QVIRIN., which probably indicates that the person who struck it was Flamen Quirinalis.

hide References (3 total)
  • Cross-references from this page (3):
    • Cicero, On Oratory, 2.12
    • Gellius, Noctes Atticae, 1.12
    • Gellius, Noctes Atticae, 10.15
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