cicero Flashcards
cum dignate otium
‘leisure with prestige’
- How Cicero felt an honest person should live
- a harmonious state in which men were valued according t o their rank in a hierarchal social structure
- a social, religious, legal and political status quo
concordia ordinum
harmony of the orders- senate and equites
first defined and put into practice in 63. An altered version of traditional roman value of ‘concordia’ (harmony of the republic)
inspired y seeing how well they worked together in the caroline conspiracy
How did Cicero use concordia ordinum for his benefit
He himself was an equites, so used it as a strategy to build an alliance and political harmony between two major orders of the state
why does cicero fail with concordia ordinum
- the senate was corrupt
> everyone wanted power for themselves
> they wanted to maintain their authority which had been restores by sulla - It was too idealistic
> He assumed everyone was a perfect roman like himself
> Since the cursus honroum had worked so well for him as a nous homo he was blind to its flaws
How can Cicero’s strive for power be seen as a stove for his ideals
- he needs political influence to enforce concordia ordinum
- in order to do so he must side with both
- rose using oratory skills and amicitia
why can’t cicero achieve concordia ordinum
- he needs political harmony between the senate and equites
- but the senate are split so he must merge he populares and the optimates
what did Cicero place great emphasis on due to his ideals
- qualities of duty, libertas, dignities and traditional morals
what did cicero want for the state
- ensuring dignitas and poper of the upper classes, of ensuring both harmony between the optimates and equites
- and that only the very best, wealthy, most capable men (boni) were placed in positions of political power
When did Cicero become governor of his province
Mid 51 BC to the summer of 50
where was Cicero’s governorship
Cilicia
Cicero’s political achievements as governor of Cilcia
- Restored calm by his mild system of government, after Crassus’ defeat by the parthians in 53Bc which had caused unrest in Cilicia
- He discovered that much of public property had been embezzled by previous corrupt governors and did the utmost to restore it
Cicero’s military achievments in Cilicia
- relived Cassius who had been besieged in Anticoch
- defeated some robbers based on Mount Amanus and was hailed imperator by his troops
- led his army against the idenpendent civilian mountain tribes- besieging their fortress of Pindenissum
-
How cicero differed from other governors
- normally people would rule in an autocratic way (i.e. Verres)
- corruption, bribery, embezzlements, extortion, blackmail
- all aimed to improve financial situation, to bring popularity political influence
- also aimed to increase military strength (i.e. Caesar) to bring a loyal army, money, land, triumph
What did Cicero want from his province
to actually make it better
- he governed well, with fairness and diplomacy and sorted out existing debts and financial problems left by his prdeccesor.
when was the cat aline conspiracy
63BC
how did the cataline conspiracy start
- after failing to gain consulship in 63BC, Cataline planned an uprising in Rome for October 28,
- small risings in other parts of Italy and a major one led by I. Manlius in Etrutia yo appeal to the veteran colonists
Why was Cataline’s initial plan thwarted
- On October 20, an anonymous letter made its way to Crassus and the senate warning them to leave the city
- It was not until the following day that Cicero was able to convince the senate of the danger and have the SCU passed
SCU
senatus consult ultinum (ultimate decree of the senate)
- gave moral backing to the consul without increasing his legal powers
What happened after the conspirators plans were thwarted
- November 6th, they had a meeting
- Decided Cicero would be assainated, the city was to be set on fire and Cataline would head to Etruria to prepare to march on Rome
How did Cicero avoid assassination at the Cataline conspiracy
- He was informed by Fulvia, the aristocratic mistress of one of Cataline’s supporters, and had his house well-fortified
What happened after Cicero was almost assainated in the CC
- on november 8/9 he delivered the first two Catilinarians, forcing Cataline to leave
- he then just had to find evidence against the remaining conspirators in rome
How did Cicero use the Gauls for help in the CC
- After the Conspirators sought help from the ALlobroges tribe in Gaul, they approached Cicero who told them to play along
- DEC 2 the Allobroges trick the conspirators into giving signed treasonable letters
How did Cicero end the CC
- DEC 3 at last cicero bought the ‘big five’ into the temple of concord where they were found guilty
- cicero delivered 4th cat, followed by rousing speech from Cato which had the conspirators executed
What was cicero awarded after the CC
- Jan 62, cato named Cicero Pater Patriae for having saved the country
What impression do we get of Cicero from the CC
Well connected
> informed by Fulvia
> Gauls
good orator
> 4 speeches
> Pater patriae
clever
>Use of allobroges
hypocritical
>actions do not line up with his values
What did Caesar want to happen to the conspirators
- imprisonment for life, against death
What was the CC a great example of
- a harmonious relationship between boni from the optimates and the equites in face of a threat to the republic
What happened when cicero returned from Cilicia
- He received a letter from Caelius saying that war was brewing between Caesar and Pompey
- before Cicero reached rome he received further correspondence from both c + p asking him to join their own party
- he took advantage of his position whilst he was still responsible for his army and unable to enter Rome
- He planned to wait outside Rome, avoiding senatorial debate, hoping to work with C + P seperatley to form a compromise and prevent war
When did Caesar cross the Rubicon
Jan 10 49BC
Cicero was forced to choose between the two sides
his principles led him to favour Pompey, but he was angry at Pompey for the way he mismanaged his relationship with Caesar + ran away
Series of letters choosing his side
20 Feb - Flattering Letter from Pompey
19 March- Letter from Cicero to Caesar saying it wasn’t his fault
28 March- Cicero decided not to attend the session of the senate which Caesar had called in Rome
16 April- Reply from Caesar, threatening
What did Cicero eventually choose
June 49, he set sail for Greece to join pompey and the senate
Civil War run down
48 - Pompey is defeated and murdered. Caesar is appointed dictator.
Oct- Cicero returns to Italy but under MA’s orders can go no further than Brundisium
Sept 47- Caesar returns from Egypt granting Cicero’s pardon
What does Caesar do after Pompey dies
He still pursues the remaining of the republican cause to North Africa, defeats Cato’s army
Cato commits suicide as Thapsus in 46
why did cicero have to impress the optimates
- from the outsett of his career, he had to convince them that he, a nous homo and equites, could work alongside them whilst continuing to build up a significant network of amicitia at all social levels
What did Cicero do as Aedile
69
cicero successfully defends his first senator in court, Marcus Fonteius against an accusation of extortion during his govern ship in Cisalpine Gaul
fonteius had been a senator who had protected the interests of the equites and in defending him cicero grew his political network of supporters for both orders
why were the 60s difficult for cicero in his aim for concordia ordinum
- he was constantly forced to side as pragmatically as possible between rising political factions
- as P, C and C grew in power, the optimates made themselves an uncompromising opposition and Cicero had to tread a careful path between sticking by then and using the power of individuals such as pompey
cicero’s relationship with Cato
- respectful but conflicting. Similar political stance, but Cicero was a nous homo, also sometimes did things which Cato disapproved of to gain power
moments cicero can be seen as in agreement with cato
- on same side in civil war
- on same side in caroline conspiracy
- after the death of cato, cicero wrote a eulogy in praise of him (46) ‘cato’
moments cicero can be seen as in disagreement with cato
- 63BC cato stood against cicero in trial of Morena
- in 50BC cato was one of the few who refused to grant cicero public honour
moments of agreement between cicero and caesar
- caesar pardoned cicero after the civil war, dinner party together when there was no politics
- caesar made reforms cicero approved of e.g. the calendar, tackling bribery in courts, trying to strengthen the senate and dealing with economic problems
- invited him to join triumvirate
moments of disagreement between cicero and caesar
- cicero joined pompey in the CW
- anti- cato
- after his death in 44 cicero called caesar’s murdereds heroes
cicero’s relationship with clodius
- bad, he exiled him
- the bona dea scandal of 62 and cicero’s role in the prosecution ensured they were enemies
why did cicero form an amicitia with pompey
cicero gains:
- access to pompey’s clients
- military support
- political support (for consulship)
- Populares support
pompey gains:
- his oratory skills i.e. ‘pro lege manilia’
- cicero’s political support
- support in rome whilst he’s away
- associated with cicero’s values
when did cicero and pompey’s amicitia begin
66BC
‘pro lege manilia’
66BC - cicero speaks this for pompey
- gives pompey extraordinary power against Mithradates
- starts their amicitia, he gains access to his clients
- made the speech in the forum, clearly making their new friendship public and official
- this went against a group of optimates, Hortensisus and Catulus who were afraid of Pompey having too much power
- this was passed and gained him political power as it made rome feel safe and secure, appealed to equites and people in a moderate way (consulship!)
why is it bad that cicero supported the pro lege manilia
- when it was previously proposed in 67 by tribune Aulus Gabinius to allow pope a special command to rid the medditeranian of pirates, he kept a low profile/ was against it
how did cicero go about gaining power
- promoted his own position and enabled him to reach consulship and thus influence the course of politics
time where cicero and pompey’s opposing political values clashed
63BC - Pompey supported Caesar and Crassus’ prosecution of Rabirius for the murder of tribune saturnius, however cicero sided with the optimates, actively opposing pompey
why is Pompey not pleased with cicero’s success in the caroline conspiracy/ consulship
- it left little room for Pompey’s glory
- Cicero intended to conduct a speech on his consular achievements, yet Pompey sent Mettellus Nepos to veto the farewell speech (62)
strain the first triumvirate caused on the pompey cicero relationship
- cicero didn’t like its morals
- declined offer
- basis of relationship become irrelevant
what happens after the forming of the triumvirate which causes more strain
- pompey’s soldiers in the forum, intimidating the assmenly so his laws (e.g. lex campagna) were passed, also the attack of BIbulus’ sacristant tribunes would have offended and frightened cicero
sevilius rullus
plebeian tribune in 63BC
proposed an Agrarian Law aimed at trdistrubuting land for the landless poor in Rome to farm to 5,000 colonists
bill provided for the election of a ten-man commission (decemviri) which would have authority fro 5 years
Cicero’s response to Sevilius Rullus
- delivered 4 speeches against the bill ‘De lege Agaria’
exaggerated the power which the land commission would be given by the bill
- the bill did not pass the vote and cicero opposed substequent proposals for agrarian laws to redistribute land
motivations for Cicero opposing the Rullus land law
- crassus and caesar sought to use it to seize power upon Pompey’s return from fighting with Mithradates
- amicitis with Pompey, wants to help
- optimates, heavily populares move
- unconstinutal and corrupt, would give 10 men lots of power
rullus law reintroduced
- In 59BC as consul, Caesar reintroduced the land bill
- the the optimates annoyance, it could not be criticised
- it was to distribute public and private land to all citizens instead of just Pompey’s veterans and would do so without any expense for the city or loss for the optimates
- the committee would have 20 members and caesar would not be in it
caesar’s response to the campania law
- cato objected to the bill but caesar had him dragged out of the senate house and arrested
- Bibulus (other consul) said he wouldn’t tolerate any other innovations during his year in office
- pompey and crassus supported it
- cicero was very opposed to it, after Vettius ran to the forum with a dagger to kill caesar, he had been said to be sent by cicero and cato
pompey’s worsening relationship with cicero - clodius
- cicero felt the threat of clodius and therefore that he could not trust pompey
- pompey is supporting caesar who in turn supports clodius by helping him remove cato from rome (59)
cicero’s later réponse to the campanien law
- attacks the companion law passed by caesar in the senate (56) hopes to cause a rift between caesar and pompey, but instead cases tension in amicitia with Pompey
