Caeso Sexto Calvino

In this Craeperian name, the nomen or family name is Sexto and the cognomen or nickname is Calvino.

Pater Reipublicae Caeso Sexto Calvino
3rd century marble bust of Caeso Sexto Calvino, Salvador Museum of Imperial History
Born	24 October 141 Usqulumen, Craeperia Citerior
Died	4 January 218(218-01-04) (aged 76) Usqulumen, Craeperian Republic
Nationality	Craeperian
Occupation	Politician, general
Office	Praetor (178) Propraetor (179–181) Consul (182, 193–204, 215, 216) Proconsul (183–185, 205–214) Dictator (193–204, 216)
Spouse(s)	Labiena Ulixa Sylla
Children	3, including Augusto
Parent(s)	Flavio Sexto Calvino (father) Suedia Amor Sura (mother)
Military career
Allegiance	Craeperia Citerior Craeperian Republic
Years of service	164, 172, 179–218
Battles/wars	Craeperian War Battle of Usqulumen Battle of the Vadum River

Caeso Sexto Calvino (24 October 141 – 4 January 218) was Craeperian statesman and general who was the founder of the Craeperian Republic. Between 182 and 216, he served fifteen terms as consul, thirteen of them as dictator; both are the longest tenures in Craeperian history for the respective offices.

Calvino was a military tribune in the Seventeenth Legion during the mid 160s and fought in battles against the Iloqutzi and the Tucubaya along Craeperia Citerior's eastern borders. In 171, he entered politics and was elected as a quaestor, gaining lifetime membership in the Senate in the process. He became an aedile in 174 and a praetor in 178; he was elected to both offices before he was legally old enough, but his father, Flavio Sexto Calvino, convinced the Senate grant his son a dispensation to run for office early. Calvino became consul in 182 and later served as proconsul of Extremus Oriens from 183 to 185. He returned to the Senate after the end of his proconsulship where he became one of the most prominent senators.

In 193, Calvino became consul for a second time. Two months into his consulship, news reached Craeperia Citerior (then a client state of the Romanyan Empire) of Romanyan emperor Commodus' assassination and the subsequent usurpation of the emperorship by multiple claimants. On 15 September 193, Calvino declared the establishment of the Craeperian Republic and its total independence from the Romanyan Empire, declaring then emperor Septimius Severus to be an illegitimate usurper. Over the next ten years, Calvino (who was named dictator by the Senate) led Craeperian forces against the Romanyans who sought to reestablish control over Craeperia Citerior. He also led multiple incursions east to weaken the Iloqutzi, Imnoqueti, and Tucubaya who were attacking the Craeperian Republic during a period of perceived weakness. In 203, Calvino decisively defeated the Romanyans at the Battle of the Vadum River and the subsequent Peace of the Vadum led to the Romanyan Empire acknowledging the Craeperian Republic's independence. The Senate named Calvino Pater Reipublicae and rewarded him multiple triumphs. Calvino remained influential in Craeperian politics after the end of his dictatorship and assumed the consulship two more times in the mid 210s. He died of illness in 218.

Historians consider Calvino to be one of the most important figures in Craeperian history and have referred to him as the "Father of the Creeperian People". The Day of the Creeperans national holiday of Creeperopolis is celebrated annually on 15 September, the date Calvino declared the establishment of the Craeperian Republic.

Early life

Caeso Sexto Calvino was born in Usqulumen, Craeperia Citerior (a client state of the Romanyan Empire) on 24 October 141. His father was Flavio Sexto Calvino who was serving as an aedile at the time of Calvino's birth. His mother was Suedia Amor Sura. Calvino had two brothers and two sisters. He was given the cognomen Calvino, meaning "the bald one", by his parents shortly after his birth to honor his great great grandfather, Agripa Sexto Calvino, who served as a consul in 61 and 72; Calvino himself was never bald during his lifetime. Throughout Calvino's youth, he was raised in Usqulumen, Craeperia Citerior's largest and capital city.

Military tribunate

Calvino's father wanted him to become a quaestor, and in turn a senator, when Calvino turned 30 years old, and serving as a military tribune would give Calvino some military experience and name recognition prior to running for quaestor. In 163, Calvino was elected to serve as a military tribune in the Seventeenth Legion which was commanded by Lucio Camelio Aetio, the proconsul of the Extremus Oriens province located on Craeperia Citerior's easternmost frontier.

Calvino was initially elected to serve as a thin-striped tribune, a military tribune who did not have any command authority, however, the designated thick-striped tribune died before assuming office and Calvino was promoted to replace him. Calvino assumed the military tribunate in January 164. Under Aetio, Calvino commanded the Seventeenth Legion's left flank at the Battle of Huexotla during an incursion into Iloqutzi territory east of Craeperia Citerior in late 165. Aetio wrote a letter to Calvino's father describing Calvino's leadership during the battle as "admirable" ("admirabilis"). Calvino returned to Usqulumen after the end of one-year military tribunate.

Early political career

Quaestor and aedile

Calvino was elected as a quaestor in 171 and assumed office the following year at the age of 30. He was assigned by the Craeperian Senate to serve as the provincial quaestor for Opiter Aemilio Octaviano, the proconsul of Extremus Oriens. Calvino wanted to return to the province as he was familiar with it after serving as a military tribune there for three years. During Calvino's quaestorship, he accompanied Octaviano on his military campaigns against the Iloqutzi.

Upon the end of Calvino's quaestorship, he gained lifetime membership in the Senate.

Twelve-year consulship and dictatorship

Declaration of a republic

Nacimiento del Creeperiano, 1846, by Gustavo Payés Ussía depicting Calvino's rejection of the Severan ultimatum

Campaigns against the Romanyans

"You have your laws, I have my soldiers."

Caeso Sexto Calvino to a Romanyan diplomat, 195

Incursions in the east

An altar to Mars dedicated by Calvino during his campaigns against the Iloqutzi

Pater Reipublicae

Triumphs of 204

A denarius depicting Calvino during the triumphs of 204

Last consulships

A 3rd century relief of Calvino in Usqulúmen, Creeperopolis

Personal life

Family

Calvino married Labiena Ulixa Sylla in 168; she died in 210.

Death

Calvino's sarcophagus where he was reburied in 689

Legacy

Modern assessment

Creeperian historian Ernesto Salinas Guerrero described Calvino as "a man who saw the turbulent Romanyan political situation, decided to take advantage, and fully succeeded" ("փն հոմբրե քփիեն վիո լա'տփրբփլենտա սիտփածիօն պոլձտիծա Րփմանա, դեծիդիօ ապրովեճարլա, յ լո'լոգրօ պլենամենտե"). Salinas Guerrero added that he believed that any politician in Calvino's position would have likely done the same he did, but asserted that Calvino was "lucky" ("աֆորտփնադո") to see the successes he had against Romanyan forces due to Craeperia Citerior's unique terrain and environment compared to the rest of the Romanyan Empire.

See also

• List of Craeperian consuls
• List of Craeperian dictators