Politics of The Late Republic Facts + Quotes

Caesar's Dates

Born 100BC
69BC - Quaestor
65BC - Aedile - Lavish Games
63BC - Pontifex Maximus
62BC - Praetor
61BC- Bona Dea Defense
60BC- 1st Triumvirate
59BC- Consulship with Bibulus
58BC-50BC Gallic Wars
49BC- Crossed the Rubicon, Dictatorship
44BC- Assassinated

Caesar's Campanian law

Land distributed to veterans and large urban families

Caesar's Julian Law

obliging provincial governors to publish their accounts (stops exploitation)

Caesar's dictatorship

49BC- banned hoarding of money, helped debtors
48BC- Dictator for a year (Legally)
47BC- released tenants paying rent for a yr, cancelled interest on debts, 300 new senators
46BC- Celebrated- gave 100 denarii to all citizens and putting on games, cut corn dole (320,000 to 150,000), banned all clubs, introduced gold currency
left 300 sesterces to every roman citizen in his will.
Wore a Laurel crown, face on coins, allowed to wear triumphal robes 24/7.
44BC- Dictator for life, Parens Patriae, temple Julian Luperci, Month of Julius (July).

The 1st Triumvirate (formation)

Formed in 60BC
Crassus, Pompey, Caesar
Pompey wanted to give land to his veterans
Crassus wanted to renegotiate with Asian tax collectors
Caesar wanted a triumph and election, when consul stuck with Italian countryside as province.
Pompey still refused by senate, Crassus and Caesar both obtained what they wanted.

the 1st Triumvirate (collapse)

58BC Clodius's Gangs attack Pompey- he thinks it's Crassus
56BC Conference at Luca- Caesar more time, Crassus and Pompey consuls of 55BC
55BC- Caesar crossed the Rhine into Germany - threatening
54BC- Julia dies, Pompey rejects marriage renewal
53BC- Crassus dies fighting Parthians
52BC- Pompey doesn't extend Caesar's command, and makes Quintus Metellus Scipio his co-consul (An optimate)
Pompey makes Caesar give two legions as Rome was borrowed to defend against Parthians
49BC- refusal to let down arms simultaneously, Caesar declared public enemy. Civil war ensued.

The Civil War

Pompey runs to Greece with 200 Senators and two legions.
Caesar returns to Italy and takes charge
Caesar defeats Pompey in Spain.
48BC- He builds a force 300 ships larger than Caesar's
Caesar's 7 legions with Mark Antony's 4 defeated Pompey at battle of Pharsalus
Pompey executed by Ptolomy XIII.
47BC- Ptolomy defeated by Caesar.
46BC- Defeated Pompeiian forces at battle of Thaspus.

Spartacus

A Roman gladiator who led the most serious slave revolt in Roman history from 73 to 71 B.C.
Army of 70K
Defeated by Crassus

Catiline Conspiracy

After being rejected from consulship 3 times, started uprisings in 63BC

Pompey Dates

84BC- fought with Sulla, and took over Numidia- convinced Sulla to let him have a triumph
77BC- defeated Lepidus
71BC- defeated Sertorius, elected for consul 6 years too early. Undid Sulla's reforms and restored power to tribunate with Crassus then retired
67BC- defeated pirates of Mediterranean, gifted powers of provincial governor
62BC- defeated Mithridates
58BC- Milo's gang attacks him
56BC- Creates his own gang, Luca conference
54BC- wife (Julia) dies.
52BC - sole consul

Cato Dates

72BC- fought against Spartacus
68BC- Military tribune
67BC- sent to Macedon, lived with his soldiers
65BC- Quaestor
63BC- Conspirators spared death, denied recalling Pompey, supported prosecution of Murena.
62BC- Tribune of Plebs - reduced grain price, increased corn dole.
60BC- opposed bribery, foiled Caesar's request to postpone elections by fillibuster
58BC- sent to Cyprus by Clodius, raised 7K talents
55BC- Praetor - dressed too modestly
52BC- stood for consulship and failed
50BC- voted against giving up arms
46BC- suicide

Stoicism

Wisdom, Courage, Justice, Temperance and Discipline.

Clodius Dates

61BC - Bona Dea infiltration
59BC - Tribune of Plebs, changed from Patrician to Plebian by Caesar
58BC - revenge on Cicero- death without trial = exile
- starts attacking Pompey under Milo
-sends Cato to Cyprus as a provincial governor
52BC- clodius is murdered by Milo, his followers rioted and burned down the senate house.

Cicero and Caesar

-Caesar refused to testify against Clodius (Cicero was the lawyer)
-Cicero declined Caesar's 1st Triumvirate invite
-Attempted to oppose then became an agent of the 1st Triumvirate, defending supporters and proposals
-Cicero chose Pompey's side, Caesar forgave him
-Cicero wrote a pamphlet, 'Cato', and Caesar wrote the 'Anti-Cato''
-Cicero praised Caesar's assassins

Cicero Dates (Pre-consulship)

87BC- Cicero studied philosophy, talented.
80BC- First big case- Sextus Roscius, Patricide. Defendants favourites of Sulla, so he left for Greece in 79BC.
75BC- Quaestor- Gaius Verres case
69BC- Aedile
66BC-Praetor, Gave a long speech on why Pompey should take over the Mithradatic war, but praised Lucullus highly.
63BC- Consulship, youngest age and novus homo.
Found Catiline's co-conspiritors and won an SCU (Senatus consultum ultimum) that allowed them to be put to death without trial.
Defended Murena.
Cato proposed the title Pater Patriae to him.

Cicero Dates (Post-Consulship)

62BC- purchased large townhouse. prosecuted against Clodius. Proposed political alliance for Pompey, but after returning for war voted with the Optimates against his triumph/election.
60BC- refused the 1st Triumvirate
58BC- Stood against Caesar's reforms. Exiled. Clodius' gangs followed him around. Asked for Caesar's help but was declined. Hortensius tried to defend him.
57BC- Recalled by Pompey, got house back. Got senate to hold a thanksgiving for Caesar and money for troops. Retires.
52BC- Failed to defend Milo for the murder of Clodius.

Cicero Dates (Civil War)

49BC- Chose Pompey
44BC- expressed approval of assassination, senate agreed not to declare Caesar a tyrant and keep his reforms for amnesty for assassins.
- missed a Mark Antony meeting seeing his son.
-phillipics began (14 total)
43BC- Mark Ant declared public enemy. Killed shortly after by 2nd Triumvirate.

Concordia Ordinum

'the agreement of orders'

Cum Dignate Otium

Leisure with prestige- opposed Publius' land bill, defended Gaius Rabirius.

Tota Italia

'All Italy'

Consensus Omnium Bonorum

'Consensus of all Romans and Italians of good will'

Life of Cato The Younger (Plutarch) Politics

'launched at once into a passionate and angry speech'
'changed the opinions of the senators'
'Cato mounted the rostra...spoke for two hours'
'strove to reach the rostra, shouting'
'pelted the statues of Pompey...Cato Stopped this'
'eradicate altogether this disease form the state'
'bid my son not to try force...he cannot persuade him'
'tore his bowels with his hands'
'they called Cato their saviour and benefactor' [Uticans]
'thou didst begrudge me the paring of thy life' [Caesar}

Life ofCato The Younger (Plutarch) Character

'Sulla was friendly to Cato'
'asked his tutor why no one slew that man'
'a kind of inspiration for the pursuit of every virtue'
'goodness which consists in rigid justice'
'often go out...without shoes or tunic'
'willingly shared the tasks he imposed upon others'
'allowed any friend who needed it'
'a genuine desire to attain virtue'
'tears and insatiable embraces' from soldiers

Divine Julius (Suetonius) Popularis

'Having won the goodwill of the masses'
'Caesar gave a gladiatorial show'
'he divided without casting lots between twenty thousand citizens with three or more children'
'He freely granted everything else anyone took it into his head to ask'

Divine Julius (Suetonius) Ability

'he so decisively defeated two very strong competitors'
'He invaded the Britons, a people unknown before'
'His intimacy with King Nicomenes... deep and lasting reproach'
'all the Gauls Caesar did vanquish'
'The elder Curio- Every woman's man and every man's woman'
'In eloquence and art of war he either equalled or surpassed the fame'
'Covered great distances with incredible speed'
'arriving before the messengers sent to announce his coming'

Divine Julius (Suetonius) Ambition

'destined to rule the world'
'resorting to the most lavish bribery'
'by every possible attention courted the goodwill of Pompey'
'patched up a peace between Pompey and Marcus Crassus'
'He was twice attacked with sickness' but did not relent
'very fond of elegance and luxury'
'lawful for Caesar to marry what wives he wished, and as many as he wished, for the purpose of begetting children'
'Caesar alone took all the credit'
'Done in the consulship of Julius and Caesar'

Divine Julius (Suetonius) Dictatorial

'forced to forgo the triumph to avoid losing the consulship'
'Caesar managed all of the state's affairs alone'
'dragged from the house...by Caesar's command and taken off to prison'
'It is thought that he abused his power'
'too great for a mortal man'
'There were no honours he did not receive or confer at pleasure'
'Antony tried several times to place a crown on his head'
'no less arrogant were his public utterances'
'I am Caesar and no king'
'regard his word as law'

Cicero as defender of the State

'I have undertaken this case...with the greatest good will and expectation of the Roman People'
'Did you think that I would remain silent on matters important as these?'
'bring forward matters so well-known...so important and so evident'
'relieve it from the dishonour I share with it'

Cicero presenting the court as corrupt

'divine influence' 'so that you might liberate your whole order from hatred'
'we are held in contempt'
'despised by the Roman people'
'destructive for the Republic and dangerous for you'
'acquitted by the magnitude of his wealth'
'no wealthy man, however guilty he may be, could possibly be convicted'
'nefariously and criminally in judicial matters'
'the administration of Justice in the Republic...was lacking'
'with the greatest uproar'
'law courts...disgraceful and wicked'

Cicero on Equites

'even the faintest suspicion that money had been accepted to influence a judicial decision'
'O splendid reputation of our order!'

Cicero addressing court directly

'Marcus Glabrio, with your authority, wisdom and diligence'
'By the immortal Gods, O judges, seek advice'
'think who you are'
'in what position you are placed'
'what you ought to repay to your ancestors'

Cicero presents Verres as evil

'I am an enemy to this type of man'
'harsh and unrelenting adversary who is to be hated'
'embezzler of public funds'
'just like him in avarice, wickedness and pejury'
'shame and ruin of the province of Sicily'
'he made an attempt to bribe this court'
'the dishonours and disgraces of his youth'
'his province abandoned'
'the criminal lust of that man'
'deserted him' 'attacked and betrayed' 'pillaged many homes' 'most of the cities' 'all of the temples' - under Dolabella

Cicero on Verres' Praetorship of Rome

'the destruction of sacred temples and public works'
'Roman citizens tortured and killed like slaves'
'greatest criminals acquitted'

Cicero on Verres as Propraetor in Sicily

'countless sums of money taken'
'No man's property was safe'
'he has stolen 40mil sesterces from Sicily'
'left no God for the Sicilians'
'despoiled all the shrines'
'sailors and soldiers...died of hunger''fleets...lost and destroyed'
'held neither their own laws...nor common rights'

Letter 1

To Pompey (62BC) attempt to form partnership.
'he was conservative, not necessarily optimate'

Letter 2

To Atticus (59BC) about Caesar's Campanian Law
'suggest any tenure of public land'
'held down on all sides' 'no hope' of 'being free'
'we do not object any more to the loss of our freedom'
'I am invited by Caesar...to act as his legate'

Letter 3

To Curio (53BC) to maintain amacitia
he can 'easily overcome' his rival
'which could be more serious than the Republic'
'By Hercules!'
'to demonstrate my love for you'
'I dare not write what I feel'

Letter 4

To Caelius (50BC) to maintain amacitia
'I am extraordinarily anxious' about the provinces
'I feel a great war hanging over us'
'you aedileship is of great concern to me'
'I long for my friends'

Letter 5

To Caesar (49BC) to paint him as the aggressor
'singular wisdom and outstanding statesmanship'
'pursue negotiations for peace and civic harmony'
'best behave well...loyally to Pompey'
'I had no part in the war'
'I always advocated for peace'

Letter 6

To Atticus (49BC) about civil war
'Pompey bids a long goodbye to honour'
'he made no preparations for war'
'He developed Caesar'
'rejected all offers of peace'

Letter 7

To Atticus (49BC) questioning his next actions
should you join 'the right-minded party in order to fight against it?'
stay in a country under 'oppressive rule'?
'should you face danger in order to free it?'
'endanger oneself for the sake of our country?'

Letter 8

To Atticus (45BC) should he go Rome to consult Brutus?
Caesar did not have a 'good word to say about our nephew'
'Caesar has joined the Optimates? Where is he going to find them - unless he hangs himself?'
'how foolish of him!'
'Am i to remain here or fly off to Rome?'

Letter 9

To Atticus (44BC) update post-Caesar's assassination
'afraid of wars in Gaul'
'Our heroes achieved all they were able'
'the Ides of March console us'
'freedom has been restored without a free state'

Letter 10

To Trebonius (43BC)- to persuade him to support republicans
'We have a strong Senate'
'a little angry at times'
'We should have had nothing remaining' (shldve killed MA)
'the boy Caesar is excellent'
'I have devoted every moment' to the republic
'curse of the country' about Caesar
Treb has left him more trouble 'than the rest of the world put together'

Letter 10

To Plancus (43BC) to persuade him to turn against MA
'Separate yourself, I beg'
'You will not only be a consul..but a great one'
'believe me, Plancus'
'empty titles' without Republic
'good judgement' 'good sense and loyalty'