Cicero

Question 1

What is a novus homo?

Answer 1

Someone who gains political status without family history/ status/ wealth - translation ‘new man’

Question 2

What conspiracy did Cicero reveal in 63 BC?

Answer 2

The Catteline conspiracy

Question 3

When and why was Cicero assassinated?

Answer 3

43BC - he made many speeches urging the republic to support Augustus against Mark Antony - Mark Antony had Cicero executed by a centurian after declaring him a public enemy

Question 4

What were the speeches Cicero made against Mark Antony called?

Answer 4

The Philippics or Philippicae

Question 5

What side of the civil war in 49BC did Cicero join?

Answer 5

Pompey’s side, but after the defeat at Pharsalus he was pardoned by Ceasar

Question 6

Who/ what was Cicero’s loyalty to

Answer 6

The preservance of the Roman Republic

Question 7

In what year was Cicero consul?

Answer 7

63 BC

Question 8

Was Cicero a stoic?

Answer 8

Cicero was stoic-ajacent but unable to give up his wealth

Question 9

Ways in which Cicero’s career was not typical?

Answer 9

• he was a novus homo
• made his name in courts - not battlefield
• alligned himself with neither/both optimates/ populares

Question 10

Ways in which Cicero remained consistent to his political ideology during his career?

Answer 10

• Worked hard to establish concordia ordinum (did not join first triumvirate - worked against Catteline conspiratoes)
• Traditional republican, not a popularis (the phillipics after caesar’s death, opposed land reform bill of Rullus while consul, did not support pompey after eastern campaign)
• Cicero’s belief in cum dignitate otium (promoted values of dignitas, libertas etc in letters + speeches, prosecuted verres)
• pragmatism (support of octavian + courted friendships of Pompey + Caesar)

Question 11

How did Cicero work hard to establish concordia ordinum?

Answer 11

• did not join first triumvirate
• worked against Catteline conspirators

Question 12

How did Cicero prove himself a traditional republican?

Answer 12

• the phillipics after caesar’s death
• opposed land reform bill of Rullus while consul
• did not support pompey after his eastern campaign

Question 13

Cicero’s belief in cum dignitate otium was shown through what actions?

Answer 13

• he promoted values of dignitas, libertas etc in letters + speeches
• prosecuted verres + opposed Clodius in the bona dea scandal

Question 14

How did Cicero use amicitia to be successful?

Answer 14

• He was a novus homo who needed support from the optimates
• Cicero relied on support from individuals such as Pompey and Cato
• Cicero cultivated relationships with men like Atticus and Caelius

Question 15

What are 2 specific examples of how amicitia benefitted Cicero?

Answer 15

• Cicero had the backing of the conservative faction of senators led by Cato, especially during the Catilinarian Conspiracy
• Without Pompey’s support, Cicero would not have been recalled from exile

Question 16

What suggests Cicero was not successful due to primarily amicitia?

Answer 16

• his skill in oratory
• declined the join the first triumvirate yet prospered anyway

Question 17

What suggests Cicero cared more for oratory style than writing about truth and facts?

Answer 17

• the difficulty of disentangling fact from fiction within In Verrum
• Different styles of letters, particularly if it was intended for publication
• use of rhetorical devices to avoid the truth

Question 18

What suggests Cicero cared more for witing truth and facts than his oratory style?

Answer 18

• The focus on Roman values in the speech against Verres was in line with his conservative political outlook
• His appeals for information about Roman politics in some correspondence.
• Fewer literary devices in formal letters (Pompey, Caesar, Trebonius)