1. Eyewitnesses to Civil War
Cicero’s Letters
1/25/17

2. Civil War: Pompey Vs. Caesar
Caesar and Pompey were BFFs at one point when the first triumvirate was intact; Pompey had even married Caesar’s daughter
However, they grew apart as the division between the optimates and populares deepened during the 50s B.C.
Eventually, Caesar crossed the Rubicon with his army and the Civil War began in 49 B.C.
The war only lasted around a year
Review the causes of the Civil War between Caesar and Pompey

3. The generals of this period were men who had risen to the top by violence rather than by merit. They needed armies to fight against one another rather than against a common public enemy. And so they were forced to combine the arts of the politician and the authority of the general. They spent money making life easy for their soldiers, and then, after purchasing their labor in this way, failed to observe that they had made their whole country a thing for sale and had put themselves in a position where they had to be slaves of the worst sort of people in order to become masters of the better.
- Plutarch
Towards the end of the Republic you could not rely on wealth, nepotism, or education – you had to have a prominent military career and support of the army to succeed! Violence was inevitable.

4. Cicero’s Letter Writing
Cicero was caught in the middle of this violence..
He was a prominent letter-writer and letters to his family and friends were published by his secretary, Tiro
4 collections –
A. to his best friend Atticus
B. to his little brother Quintus
C. to his family and other friends
D. to his close friend Brutus
860 letters published by his secretary Tiro! In his later years, the letters were dictated to Tiro. Get a very good idea of his real character through the letters. Not the pompous orator Cicero.
Showed a variety of emotional states and personae of Cicero. Sometimes very casual and colloquial, other times he lectures his friends and family. These are very honest because Cicero wasn’t intending for them to be published.

5. The Cicerones Marcus Tullius Cicero Terentia (Wife)
Marcus Tullius Cicero Minor
Tullia Ciceronia (Tulliola)
Dolabella (Husband of Tullia)
Terentia was married to Cicero for 33 years; they divorced in 46 B.C. Cicero married her for her money. Apparently Terentia was quite a pill, but she did take care of the family’s finances so Cicero could spend all of his time reading and writing.
Cicero loved Tullia very much. Her marriage to Dolabella was unhappy because he was a big spender and got the couple into debt. In addition, he allied himself with Caesar.

6. Your Readings Reading A: To his family (wife and children)
Reading B: To Atticus
Reading C: Pompey to Cicero
Reading D: Caesar to Cicero
These readings show how Cicero was torn between concern for his family and republic
There is also conflict between Pompey (whom he was loyal to) and Caesar (whom he feared)
Breakdown of each letter and how each one shows a different side of Cicero
We’re reading letters written between B.C. during the time of the Civil War.