!! Specification timeline.docx (1)

Specification Timeline

Key Events

  • 79 BC

    • Sulla becomes a private citizen/retires.

    • Cicero marries Terentia.

  • 78 BC

    • Consulship of Quintus Lutatius Catulus.

    • Sulla dies.

    • Dolabella put on trial for extortion in Cilicia; found guilty based on Verres' testimony (Verres pardoned).

  • 75 BC

    • Cicero’s quaestorship in Lilybaeum, Sicily.

  • 74 BC

    • Consulship of Lucius Licinius Lucullus.

    • Verres’ praetorship gained by bribery.

  • 73-71 BC

    • Verres’ governorship in Sicily.

    • Spartacus’ slave revolt: Successfully put down by Crassus; assisted by Pompey.

    • Caesar serves as military tribune.

    • Cato fights in the war, winning glory but refusing prizes.

  • 70 BC

    • Consulships of Pompey and Crassus.

    • Cicero prosecutes Verres (In Verrem I).

    • Pompey and Crassus restore powers of the tribunate.

  • 69 BC

    • Consulship of Quintus Hortensius.

    • Cicero’s aedileship and successful defense of Marcus Fonteius, a senator.

    • Caesar's quaestorship in Spain.

  • 68 BC

    • Cato runs for military tribune; noted as the only candidate not using bribery.

  • 67 BC

    • Aulus Gabinius is tribune.

    • Lex Gabinia grants Pompey imperium against the pirates (supported by Caesar).

    • Cicero supports indirectly by aiding the deposition of opposing tribune.

    • Cato serves as military tribune in Macedonia.

    • Cicero campaigns for praetor.

  • 66 BC

    • Gaius Manilius is tribune.

    • Lex Manilia grants Pompey imperium against Mithridates; Cicero supports with a lengthy speech.

    • Clodius rumored to have instigated a mutiny in Syria.

  • 65 BC

    • Caesar's aedileship; hosts lavish games in Rome.

    • Cicero defends Cornelius against treason charges.

  • 64 BC

    • Cato’s quaestorship.

    • Cicero campaigns for consulship; hints at Catiline's corruption in Toga Candida speech.

    • Catiline also campaigns for consulship; supported by Caesar.

  • 63 BC

    • Consulship of Cicero and Marcus Antonius Hybrida.

    • Caesar appointed Pontifex Maximus.

    • Lex agraria of Rullus promoted by Caesar, opposed by Cicero (who uses bribery against his co-consul).

    • Trial of Murena: Cato supports prosecution; Cicero defends and wins, acknowledging Cato's merits but mocking his Stoicism.

    • Catilinarian conspiracy: Cicero delivers In Catilinam speech; Catiline flees Rome and is killed in battle.

    • Senatus consultum ultimum regarding conspirators; Cato influences Senate's decision.

    • Birth of Gaius Octavius (‘Octavian’), later Emperor Augustus.

  • 62 BC

    • Consulship of Murena.

    • The Bona Dea scandal: Clodius infiltrates a women's festival, acquitted by bribery.

    • Cato's tribuneship; another tribune proposes inviting Pompey for help post-conspiracy.

    • Caesar's praetorship begins; Pompey returns from the East as a success.

    • Cicero seeks alliance with Pompey (Fam 5.7).

  • 61 BC

    • Trial of Clodius; Caesar’s governorship in Further Spain.

    • Pompey requests military triumph; denied by Senate.

    • Cato refuses Pompey's niece's marriage proposal.

  • 60 BC

    • Caesar returns from Spain, seeks triumph, sacrifices it to campaign for consulship.

    • Formation of the First Triumvirate: Pompey, Crassus, and Caesar.

    • Cato proposes decrees against bribery.

    • Caesar's quest for land allocation for veterans and treaty ratifications denied.

  • 59 BC

    • Consulship of Caesar and Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus.

    • Caesar passes land bill for Pompey's veterans against Bibulus'

    • Additional laws passed: Campanian Law, rebate for tax farmers, and restrictions on governors' exploitation.

    • Marriage of Pompey and Julia, Caesar’s daughter.

  • 58 BC

    • Clodius' tribuneship; introduces free corn dole.

    • Reintroduction of trade guilds; Cicero exiled.

    • Gang warfare emerges; Clodius attempts to wield power; Pompey briefly retreats from public life.

  • 57 BC

    • Ten tribunes mainly support Pompey.

    • Cicero's recall is nearly unanimous after gang violence but Clodius opposes.

  • 56 BC

    • Cicero plans to reassess Caesar’s Campanian Law to weaken the triumvirate.

    • Re-establishment of the First Triumvirate at a conference in Luca.

    • Pro Sestio speech regarding optimates and populares made by Cicero.

  • 55 BC

    • Pompey and Crassus have their second consulship.

    • Caesar continues command in Gaul for five years; Pompey in Spain; Crassus in Syria.

  • 54 BC

    • Julia dies during childbirth.

    • Civil unrest continues in Rome.

  • 53 BC

    • Riots and no consuls elected.

    • Death of Crassus at Carrhae; Cicero becomes augur.

  • 52 BC

    • Clodius killed by Milo; Cicero defends Milo unsuccessfully but upholds his principles.

    • Pompey appointed sole consul under martial law.

  • 51 BC

    • Cato's failed consulship attempt; approaches for Caesar’s return to imperium occur.

    • Cicero's governorship in Cilicia; solves predecessor’s issues and earns a triumph.

  • 50 BC

    • Curio’s tribuneship sparks attempts to disarm Caesar and Pompey unsuccessfully.

  • 49 BC

    • Mark Antony’s tribuneship; motion to declare Caesar a public enemy vetoed.

    • Caesar crosses the Rubicon, initiating Civil War.

  • 48 BC

    • Caesar’s second consulship election; leads to Pompey’s defeat at Pharsalus and subsequent death.

  • 47 BC

    • Caesar becomes augur; pardons Cicero

  • 46 BC

    • Caesar’s dictatorship defined; returns to Spain for final anti-Caesarians fight.

  • 45 BC

    • Caesar’s final triumphs; Cicero writes an eulogy to Cato.

  • 44 BC

    • Caesar becomes dictator perpetuo; assassination on March 15.

    • Cicero criticizes the assassins for lack of a plan post-assassination.

  • 43 BC

    • Civil war outbreak; Cicero’s continued attacks through the Philippics.

    • Death of Cicero at the hands of bounty hunters.