Cicero timeline

80 BC

• Pro Roscius

• brings him onto he scene and starts building his reputation

75 BC:

• Quaestorship in Sicily
  - Fights corruption
  - builds clinet base

70 BC
- Pompey and Crassus consulship

• Verres case
  - Secures him as best orator

67 BC

• Lex Gabinia
  - Pompey given mega special command for pirates

  - Cicero doesn’t support Bill

• Serves as Praetor

66 BC

• Manilian law
  - Pompey command over Mithradates

• Cicero supports
  - Pro Lege Manillia

63 BC

• Consulship
  -had been supported by Optimates in order to stop Catiline
  - Opposes Rullan land reform (10 men commission to distribute land, “little kings”)

• Cataline Conspiracy
  - Cicero issues SCU to execute conspirators
  - CIcero saves Rome → Parens Patrii

62 BC
- Cato Tribune
- Caesar Praetor

• Bona Dea scandal
  - Cicero breaks Clodius’ alabi (condemning him) → found not guilty anyway

59 BC

• Caesar consul

• Cicero refuses to join triumvirate

58 BC:

• Clodius Tribue (but dodgy)

• Passes law about executing citizens that aimed to specifically attack Cicero (payback for bona dea), causing him to flee
  - Exile era

57-56 BC

• Cicero brought back to Rome (helped by Pompey)

• 56: Cicero forced to apologise to Caesar after speaking against his land bill
  - also has to offer public support for Caesars command in Gaul

55-51 BC:

• Cicero forced to defend Pomper and Caesar lieutenants in court
  - used by Triumvirate

• 52 BC: Clodius killed, Pompey becomes sole consul
  -Cicero loses Milo case, having tried to defend him

• 51: Cato fails to be elected as Consul, vows to never stand again

51-50 BC

• Cilicia governorship
  - performed better under Cicero than previous governors
  - fixed economic issues (caped interest rates at 12%, encouraging and allowing people to repay debts)
  - saw some military success and was entitled to a triumph (wasn’t granted it)

49 BC:

• Senate issues SCU against Caesar, who crosses the Rubicon and occupies Rome

• Cicero takes a while to pick a side but eventually chooses Pompey (despite previously criticising him for handling of Caesar early on)
  - Letters

• Didn’t really want first civil war

44 BC

• Caesar killed and drama in Ceasarian faction (Anthony Vs Octavian)
  - Cicero very anti-Anthony
  - starts writing the Philippics - “Against Anthony”

• Cicero is very pro war, belives its the only option to stop Anthony

43 BC

• Cicero completes Philippics (14 total)

• Consuls (Hirtus and Pansa) killed at Mutina → Anthony defeated

• 2nd Triumvirate formed
  - Octavian, Anthony, Lepidus

December 43 BC

Cicero murdered