Publius Licinius Nerva

Publius Licinius Nerva was a Roman politician during the Late Roman Republic. As a propraetor he was assigned as Governor of Sicily in 104 BC at the outbreak of the Second Servile War.

A coalition of slaveholders in Sicily confronted the praetor and, with bribes and threats, shut the tribunal down. Nerva tried to put down the revolt, but failed to react with decision; by false promises he was able to return one body of the rebels to slavery, but neglected to address more serious outbreaks near Heraclea and near Lilybaeum. Eventually, Nerva dispatched a detachment of 600 soldiers to Heraclea but they were defeated, the slaves now gained confidence, having won a large supply of armaments. Nerva was replaced at the end of his term by Lucius Licinius Lucullus.