 Born to an ancient patrician family whose wealth and power declined over the centuries  Elected praetor in 68 BC  Governor of Africa  Brought to trial for mismanagement and acquitted as a result of his connections with prominent politicians  Ran for consul twice (64 BC, 63 BC) and lost  Decided his only hope was to use force

 Catiline Formed a conspiracy to seize control of Rome in 63 BC  Appealed to those who had nothing to lose  Those who could no longer advance in politics, poor people, and Sulla’s former soldiers  Catiline planned to raise an army in the countryside and march on Rome  Army would create chaos by starting fires and murdering political opponents  Catiline would seize power  Sent Gaius Manlius, a veteran from Sulla’s army, to raise troops in Etruria while he organized his plans in Rome

 Rumors came to Rome about Manlius’ activity in late October 63 BC  Cicero lacked legal evidence against Catiline  Informants among the conspirators told Cicero that he was supposed to be killed on November 7 th  November 8 th : Cicero called a meeting of the Senate at the Temple of Jupiter Stator and placed armed guards around the temple

 Catiline fled from Rome after being denounced by Cicero and joined Manlius’ army  The remaining conspirators continued their efforts in Rome  Conspirators approached a delegation of Allobroges, a Gallic tribe, who were sent to Rome to protest mistreatment by Roman officials  Allobroges report contact to Cicero  Cicero tells them to obtain written proof from conspirators who wrote letters to the Allobroges  5 leading conspirators executed without trial  Cicero’s colleague Gaius Antonius then marched his army north and killed remainder of troops, including Catiline

 Rhetoric was a requirement for political success in Rome  A Roman youth completed literary and linguistic studies with a grammaticus  He finished his education by studying with a rhetor, an instructor in public speaking

 Gathering of material and its proper arrangement  Selection of appropriate language  Memorization  Delivery

 Exōrdium: beginning of the speech designed to win the favorable attention of the audience  Body  Partītiō: outline  Cōnfirmātiō: arguments for the case  Refūtātiō: rebuttal (to provide some evidence or argument that refutes or opposes) of opponent’s case  Perōrātio: conclusion designed to summarize the arguments and appeal (request for support) to the jurors’ emotions  Cicero delivered 4 orations against Catiline