Marcus Tullius Cicero Roman Statesman

Cicero’s Life Lived 106-43 BC Equestrian family Education led the way for him to connect to Patrician class Studied law and later began to pursue a political career through the Cursus Honorum Chickpeas!! This will focus more on his professional life. We’ll get to his personal life later this year. Was considered a “novus homo” by jumping classes from equites to patricians. He did this because he studied extensively. Dabbled in poetry but that was not for him. Really became engrossed with philosophy when influential Greek philosphers came to Rome. Started climbing the ladder of the cursus honorum in 90 BC during the Social War (when Italian cities rebelled against Rome). Hated military life.

Cursus Honorum 1. Military Tribune 2. Quaestor 3. Aedile 4. Praetor 5. Consul 6. Censor Military tribune = middle-rank officer Censor = took census and organized all citizens in their respective voting classes. Also kept up with Senate membership. Helped with building projects too. All terms were one year except for Censor which was 18 months. Each office had an age requirement, which would usually prevent people from holding offices in consecutive years. After becoming praetor/consul, men would often be assigned to govern provinces away from Rome. Picture: vroma.org

Cicero’s Life Lived 106-43 BC Equestrian family Education led the way for him to connect to Patrician class Studied law and later began to pursue a political career through the Cursus Honorum Began practicing law around 80 BC (defense of Sextus Roscius) 79 BC: Traveled to Greece Sextus Roscius trial was significant. Defended Sextus, accused of patricide, a very serious crime. Cicero also boldly accused a man who was friends with the dictator Sulla. Could have gotten himself killed! Convinced the jury and he successfully defended Sextus, who was acquitted. Made a name for himself with this case. He went to Greece afterwards to avoid Sulla and also study philosophy and rhetoric. Obtained his excellent speaking skills on this trip. Trained physically for public speaking as well..what??

Cicero’s Life (contd.) 75 BC: Became Quaestor in Sicily 70 BC: Trial against Verres (and Hortalus) 69 BC: Elected as Aedile 66 BC: Elected as Praetor Sicilians came to greatly respect him for the great job which he did, and they asked him to prosecute Verres, the governor of the province who had stolen much of their wealth for himself. Verres hired the well-known lawyer Hortalus. Cicero used his oratory skills to persuade the jury to convict Verres. He totally trashes his character. This victory further raises Cicero’s profile as an orator and promotes him as he attempts to move up the cursus honorum. He continued to easily win elections, getting positions at the youngest possible age. Elected Consul in 63 B.C., defeating Catiline.

63 BC: Cicero as Consul Thwarted Catiline’s conspiracy to overthrow the republic Catiline had planned to assassinate many senators and march on Rome with his army Cicero obtained Senatus consultum ultimum Drove Catiline from Rome after his orations against him After gaining tangible evidence from the Allobroges’ letters, action was taken against the conspirators Cicero earned title of Pater Patriae Catiline’s feelings were hurt because he didn’t become consul, so he decided to try to take Rome by force. His orations against Catiline attacked his character and vilified him to such an extent that the whole city turned on him and he fled. Letters obtained from this tribe implicated five senators in the conspiracy, and they were killed after their confessions because Cicero could do what he wanted as temporary dictator. The senate did vote on it too. Catiline ended up dying in battle when his army lost to the Roman armies led by Cicero’s co-consul. Cicero claimed he did all of this to maintain the integrity of the republic.

Cicero’s Life (contd.) 58 BC: Clodius Pulcher’s law 57 BC: Recalled to Rome by Senate After his return, Cicero largely stayed out of politics and spent much of his time writing Opposed Caesar’s dictatorship, but Caesar pardoned him! After Caesar’s death, he led Senate and opposed Antony’s consulship Clodius Pulcher, tribune of the plebians, introduced the law to exile anyone who had killed a Roman citizen without a trial..i.e. Cicero. Tell Bona Dea story. In his later years, he still acted as a lawyer but stayed out of politics and primarily wrote works on philosophy. He was also a prolific letter-writer. He was pardoned because Caesar wanted his favor and he really didn’t do that much to help Pompey’s side.

Downfall of Cicero Cicero hoped to drive Antony out, but failed Once the 2nd Triumvirate formed, they declared Cicero to be an enemy of the state Antony’s soldiers hunted Cicero down and murdered him in December of 43 BC as part of the proscriptions Cicero was incredibly popular at this time. His speeches against Marc Antony known as the “Phillipics” are incredibly powerful. Praised Octavian’s character and supported him in favor of Antony. However as you know, Octavian reconciled with Antony with the help of Lepidus, and so Cicero’s plans were foiled. Ocatvian allegedly tried to keep Cicero off the proscription list, but he failed. Cicero was caught as he was travelling to the sea to head to Greece. When he was killed, his head and hands were displayed in the Forum. Tongue story.

Dispositio (Six Parts of Classical Oration) Exordium – Introduction which states the purpose; appeal to ethos Narratio – Narrative section in which speaker presents facts of his position Partitio – Bridge which states what is to follow given the status of the issue at hand Confirmatio – Body of speech which offers logical arguments as proof of position Refutatio – Speaker answers to potential counterarguments Peroratio – Conclusion which both summarizes the speech and appeals to pathos http://iws.collin.edu/grooms/cr2sp13quintq.pdf