Hortensia (fl. 1st c. BCE)

views updated

Hortensia (fl. 1st c. bce)

Roman orator. Flourished in the 1st century bce; daughter of Quintus Hortensius Hortalus (114–50 bce), a Roman orator.

Hortensia was the daughter of the Roman orator Quintus Hortensius Hortalus, known as Hortensius, who, as a leader of the aristocratic party, often clashed with or worked with the orator Cicero. In 42 BCE, Hortensia protested a proposed law that would allow women's possessions to be taxed to fund a civil war. Hortensia argued that women should not be required to fund men's follies when women were not legally involved in the decision making. Though the speech is no longer extant, Roman writer Quintilian noted its importance, and Greek historian Appian issued his own version.