Vibius Gallus
He was born in Perugia; Seneca made fun of him for almost singing cues that he was about to begin describing something. He says that he would sing out “I want to describe love” as if he were saying “I want to have an orgy.” (Contr 2.1.26). He says that he cultivated insania deliberately as he thought it helped him declaim.
Pompeius Silo
Although he is frequently cited by Seneca we know little about him. His name suggests he is not from Italy and he may come from Narbo or Spain (in the latter country the cognomen Silo is attested in a number of inscriptions). The family were clearly originally clients of Pompey the Great; the consul M. Larcius Magnus Pompeius Silo, who held the office under Domitian, may have been one of his descendants.
Cornelius Romanus Hispo
He was a notorious prosecutor , who is mentioned by Tacitus (Annals 1.74.1-5) as an aide to Caepio Crispinus, who prosecuted Granius Marcellus, governor of Bithynia for treason under Tiberius (Tiberius ultimately dismissed the charger). Hispo went on to be an influential minister under Tiberius.
Cornelius Hispanus
We only know of this orator via Seneca, who cites him extensively but does not give any details of his background; however, given his name he is clearly a Spaniard. Although a good speaker and precise in points of law, he was often obscure and too subtle an arguer, hence Seneca places him in the second rank of declaimers.
Argentarius
A Greek rhetor and native Greek speaker, he declaimed in Latin when at Rome. He should perhaps be identified with the Greek poet Marcus Argentarius who is represented in the Palatine Anthology by 37 epigrams. Seneca’s nephew the poet Lucan married a woman named Argentaria Polla, who may be his granddaughter: she was very learned. Despite the fact that he was Cestius Pius’ pupil, he and Cestius hated each other: he used to swear by the manes of Cestius while Cestius was still very much living and Cestius called him his monkey (Contr. 9.3.12).
Iulius Bassus
An Augustan declaimer, who also declaimed under Tiberius. He was a rival of Fulvius Sparsus (Contr 10 Praef 10). Seneca did not approve of some of his expressions, and called them sordidus. It is possible that he is the iambic poet Bassus addressed by Propertius in Elegies 1.4; this poet was also a friend of Ovid.
Porcius Latro (-4 CE)
A Roman from Spain, he was very close friends with Seneca the Elder from childhood; they studied together with a Spanish rhetor called Marullus (Cont. 1 pr 22). Unfortunately, we do not know whether the school was in Cordoba or in Rome, though as it had 200 students, Rome seems more likely than Spain. When Seneca came to Rome in 38-36 BCE he attended the declamations given by Latro; he describes him extensively at Controversiae 1 pr. 13–24, but does not say a great deal about his life. Latro was influential on Ovid (Controversiae 2. 2. 8) who apparently imitated some of his Sententiae, but not very successful in court. He committed suicide in 4 CE.
Seneca cites him a great deal: more in the ealier Controversiae than the later, but he is cited in each one. Quintilian (Instiutes of Oratory 10.5) praised him highly as did Pliny the Elder. Pliny adds the extra detail that his followers (Natural History 20.57) drank a sort of tea made from cumin to imitate his pallor.
Cestius Pius
Declaimer of the Augustan period, and one of those most frequently cited by Seneca. Of unknown ethnic origin: he may have been a Greek from the East (Seneca says he was from Smyrna – modern Izmir in Turkey) who got his citizenship from one of the senatorial Cestii. He could, however, instead be a descendant of some of the Cestii who settled in the East as businesspeople. Despite his Eastern origin he only declaimed in Latin in Rome. He attacked Cicero; and in his school it was said that students only read those of Cicero’s speeches to which he had composed replies (they also memorized those replies). He was once whipped by Cicero’s son at a banquet for his insults against Cicero.
According to Seneca he was capable of being a great speaker, but too frequently played to the crowd with a corrupt style (Contr 9.6.12).