Volcacius Sedigitus () (alternative spelling Volcatius) was the titulus of a Roman literary critic"Caecilius, Statius." Encyclopædia Britannica. Ultimate Reference Suite. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 2008. "Roman comic poet ranked by the literary critic Volcatius Sedigitus at the head of all Roman writers of comedy." who flourished around 100 , noted for his ranking of those he considered the best Latin comics.
Nothing is known about Sedigitus beyond that PlinyNatural History 11.244. calls him illustrem in poetica and states that he got his cognomen because he was born with six fingers (Latin sex digitī) on each hand. This rare state, known as polydactyly, is caused by a dominant gene. The Romans did not avoid openly referencing blemishes and personal infirmities in the names they gave to public figures. Apud "Sigon. de Nom. Rom", p. 365. (See Roman naming conventions.)
His origin may have been lowly or from outside the Roman Empire. His nomen gentilicium, "Volcacius", may be derived from the Volcae, a Celtic people.
Aulus Gellius' Noctēs Atticae.24."LacusCurtius • Gellius — Noctes Atticae, Liber XV". Retrieved on 2008-11-25.Johann Jacob (1635—1706). Lexicon Universale. Lugduni Batavorum, 1698. p. 695. (In Latin.) preserves 13 iambic senarii from the De Poetis in didascaly, in which "Canon", as it has been termed, the principal Latin comics are enumerated in order of merit, from greatest: Caecilius, Plautus, Naevius, Licinius, Atilius, Terence, Turpilius, Trabea, Luscius, Ennius.
Historian Suetonius' work Vita Terentii (Life of Terence) quotes "Vulcacius" as having given a few details about Terence's leaving Rome and consequent disappearing. Namely, Sedigitus said that the playwright was going to Asia, i.e., Pergamum, and was never seen again.Vita 5 = fr. 2.
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