The Life of Cicero

Cicero was Rome's greatest orator and one of the key statesmen of the late Roman Republic. He championed traditional Republican values against populist demagogues like Julius Caesar during a tumultuous period of civil war and unrest. During his term as consul (63 BCE), his decisive actions thwarted a plot to overthrow the Senate, controversially having the ringleaders executed. He outlived Caesar but then mounted a virulent opposition to Mark Antony, which led to Cicero's proscription and execution as an enemy of the state. The legacy of his speeches, letters and treatises on politics, law, oratory and other subjects endured, however, and was massively influential on Latin literature and, when rediscovered in the Middle Ages, formed one of the cornerstones of the Renaissance. The period in which Cicero flourished and died was one in which democracy was under attack from radical demagoguery and Philip Kay-Bujak believes his career holds important parallels and lessons for our own times. Written in a clear and accessible style, this fresh look at Cicero's life demonstrates his relevance to a modern audience.