100 questions politics

what is imperium?

the right to lead an army

how did cicero respond to cato's death?

wrote him a eulogy

what was caesar elected in 63BC?

pontifex maximus

which honourary title was given to cicero after the cataline conspiracy?

pater patriae

cato was one of how many senators to veto caesar's imperium in 50BC?

22

what crime was sextus roscius jr accused of when cicero defended in

patricide (killing his own father), he was aquitted and the case launched his political career at 26 years old

who did cicero show amicitia to in 50s and 60s BC?

pompey

which action by caesar started the civil war of 49BC?

crossing the rubicon

during the verres case, what happened after the second hearing could take place?

verres went into voluntary exile

who was named caesar's heir

octavian

who was cicero's closest friend and correspondent?

atticus

what are two responsibilities of a patron to their client?

legal representation, financial aid, a home

which year did cato become tribune of the plebs?

62BC

what were the duties of a quaestor?

financial administration (run the treasury, tax audits)

who was co-consul with cicero in 63BC?

Hybrida

which powerful family were supporting verres?

the metelli (verres' powerful patron, held significant roles within the senate like consul and praetor)

how did marius alter the structure of the army?

he employed capite censi (non-land owning citizens) so that their alliegance and dependance was transferred from the senate to their general (who acted as a patron, powerful, gained mass popular support), created rival armies in rome

what office was cicero campaigning for in the run up to the verres case

aedile

why did cato mistrust cicero?

he was a homo novus, didn't share the same background, felt that cicero was imposing in a sphere that was entitled to him only

how many consuls were elected per year?

2

when was verres the governor of sicily?

73-71BC

what was the province governed by caesar after his consulship?

Gaul

what year did the verres case take place?

70BC

what is a proscription list?

register of individuals who had their citizen rights removed and could be killed, declared enemies of the state, banished of property

was caesar a patrician or a plebeian?

patrician - gens julia, aristocratic clan

where was cato sent to on his military command of 58BC?

cyprus (sent by clodius)

what does being elected suo anno mean?

being elected the same year it is the minimum age

what year did cato die?

46BC

what is the senatus consultum ultimum?

final decree of the senate - gave magistates extreme power to override the constitution in order to tackle large military threats, suspended democracy, removed normal restrictions

-was used against gaius grachhus to kill him and his supporters, and during the cataline conspiracy which granted cicero the power to kill the conspirators without trial

at which conference did the triumvirs renew their alliance?

luca

what were the brothers called who first tried to introduce populares policies?

Gracchi

what is the right of veto?

the right to reject a proposal / law being made - held by consuls and tribunes

how did cato support pompey in 52BC?

voted in favour of making pompey sole consul

which year was the first triumvirate established?

60BC

did cato ever become consul?

no, tried to in 51 BC but was unsuccessful as he refused to use bribery

what was the most powerful class in roman society called?

senatorial class (patricians)

why did clodius hold a grudge against cicero?

during the bona dea scandal in 61BC, while on trial for incestum, cicero provided evidence which disproved his alibi and damaged his dignitas, threatened retaliation

what was the year and location of pompey's death?

egypt, 48BC

what were the duties of a praetor?

acts as a judge, presides over law courts, can have imperium and lead armies, govern provinces

what were some of caesar's building projects as dictator?

flood protection from the river tiber, a new law court and new forum, improvement to harbour at ostia, draining of local marshes

who was cato's son in law, also consul with caesar in 59BC

Bibulus

name the members of the second triumvirate:

Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus

what was the bill challenged by cicero in 63BC

rullus' agrarian bill

who was the leading orator defending verres

hortensius

who did cicero attack in his phillipic speeches

mark antony

what was the year and location of crassus' death?

53BC Carrhae

how did caesar attemp to settle pompey's veterans in 59BC

passed lex agraria through the popular assembly

everyone who was not a patrician was a...

plebeian

what is the concept of iusta bella

wars should only be fought in defense of rome or its provinces

who were the consuls who died in the siege of mutina (43BC)

hirtius and pansa

what is concordia ordinum?

harmony of the orders, the equites and senators working together for the betterment of rome and the republic

how did governors often exploit their provinces?

extortion - raise taxes and take revenue, military threats, etc

which trojan hero was claimed as caesar's ancestor?

aeneas

whose triumph did cato oppose in 50BC?

caesar

which battle did pompey lose against caesar?

pharsalus

what is auspicium?

the right to interpret omens / seek the god's approval through studying the flight patterns of birds

why was being a homo novus a disadvantage?

lack of family connections, networks

-marginalised by the elitest senate

-had a lower status, mistrusted, not seen as equal

did cicero know about the plot to assassinate caesar?

no, the conspirators didn't trust him to keep it a secret

why did verres attempt to delay his case until the following year?

his powerful allies (the metelli) would be in powerful positions of power and could prevent his prosecution

was cato a patrician or a plebeian?

plebeian but had noble family lineage

name 2 of caesar's assassins:

brutus, trebonius

cato committed suicide after which battle?

utica

what happened to cicero in 58BC?

he was exiled by clodius

who were the capite censi?

non land-owning citizens

what is the other name given to the boni faction?

optimates

give an example of caesar's king like behaviour

he put his face on coins, recieved a diadem, changed the calendars, wore a purple toga, hekd ultimate power over the people of rome, became the focal point of all buildings temples etc

who wrote cato's eulogy?

cicero

how did caesar connect his family with pompey?

-arranged for pompey to marry his sister julia

what was the manilian law?

66BC- law granting pompey extraordinary military command of the east against mithridates

how were extortion courts reformed after the trial of verres?

used to be all senators, reformed to 1/3 senators, 1/3 equites and 1/3 tribunes of treasury

what were the 2nd most powerful class of society called

equites (equestrian order)

why did the equites break with the senate in 60BC?

-the equites complained that they paid too much tax but the senate rejected their demands - humiliated their patron duties

what is praeteritio?

mentioning a topic by claiming you won't bring it up

what province did cicero govern (51-50BC)

Cilicia (southern turkey)

who did cato support in the civil war?

pompey (lesser of two evils)

what were the powers of tribunes?

power of veto, they were sancrosanct (legally protected), they could gather the assembly of the people, pass and propose laws, address people, protect citizens rights against unjust magistrate actions

what is dignitate cum otium?

dignity with leisure, the hope for secure stability within the senate so politicians could devote their time to other outlets

what is collegiality?

shared powers with other collegues, limitation, an example of the checks and balances imposed to restrict individual power seeking

who did cicero eventually support in the civil war?

pompey

what was the political faction lead by cato?

optimates

what was verres on trial for

extortion in sicily while governor

name caesar's fellow triumvirs

pompey and crassus

which class of society did cicero belong to?

equestrian

what were the duties of an aedile?

the uptake of society - public games and work, entertainment, impressive shows (cost a lot of money, leading to debt and corruption)

what was milo accused of when cicero defended him in court in 52BC?

muder (his slaves killed clodius, cicero unsuccessfully defends him, found guilty)

what happened to the 5 speeches cicero did not get to deliver during the verres case?

he published them

what is clementia?

mercy

who was the city praetor who presided over the verres trial

glabrio

when was caesar assassinated?

ides (15th) march 44BC

what was the origins of the patricians?

descended from the 1st 100 families of romulus

what philosophy did cato follow?

stoicism

who fought a civil war against marius?

sulla

what is annuality

roman governments change every year (1 year contracts)

why did cicero act of behalf of the silicians during the verres case?

cicero was a quaestor there in 75BC, felt obliged to speak on behalf of the civilians

what was the gabinian law?

granted pompey command against the pirates in 67BC

how did bibulus attempt to limit caesar's actions during their co-consulship?

used right of auspicium to try and invalidate caesar's legislation

what was the contravertial decision made by cicero in 63BC?

excecuting the cataline conspirators without trial under the senate consultum ultimum

did cato support cicero's excecution of the cataline conspirators?

yes- passed senate consultum ultimum

what was clodius accused of in 61BBC during bona dea scandal?

incestum

how did the second triumvirate cause cicero's death?

placed him on a proscription list