Consul
63 BC
Deal with Antonius
Cicero struck a deal with his co-consul Antonius. He gave up his governorship and passed his allotted province of Macedonia to Antonius in exchange for a free hand during their consular year and a withdrawal of his support for Catilina. Catilina himself was enraged by this as his embarassing defeat meant that he may not have been able to rely on the support of Crassus and Caesar in the future.
Life for the Poor and Middle-Class
The cost of Pompey's war with Mithridates (and Pontus) had created a recession; there were signs that Pompey's victory was near but the spoils and the opening of trade routes was still in the future. Mob rule was causing local retail problems as itt began to flourish in Rome. Alos, the Italian countryside was suffering due to the effects of the Spartacus Revolt and Sulla's veterans had poor land and were unhappy farmers.
Life for the Rich
Many families, including the Julii and the Clodii, were near insolvency due to the facade of prestige and generosity.
Rullus' Land Reform Bill
This suggested that colonies should be established by selling public land in Italy and the provinces and by buying privately owned land on a voluntary basis. It was suggested that this would be implemented by a commission of ten members, who could sit on the board for five years. Cicero nicknamed them the "ten kings". Rullus was backed in his proposal by Julius Caesar.
Cicero spoke against the bill because the senators who sat on the commission board would have so much power from the people who they gave land to. Cicero's reference to them as the "ten kings" was good use of rhetoric as Romans had hated the idea of a king due to their maltreatment under the Etruscan kings.
Cicero opposed the bill in both the senate and the General Assembly. He used self-promotion, rhetorical questions and the possibility of another crisis - "the brink of ruin". In his speeches, Cicero argues that Rullus was proposing measures that would be popular in the short term but dangerous to the state in the long term.
Cicero spoke against the bill because the senators who sat on the commission board would have so much power from the people who they gave land to. Cicero's reference to them as the "ten kings" was good use of rhetoric as Romans had hated the idea of a king due to their maltreatment under the Etruscan kings.
Cicero opposed the bill in both the senate and the General Assembly. He used self-promotion, rhetorical questions and the possibility of another crisis - "the brink of ruin". In his speeches, Cicero argues that Rullus was proposing measures that would be popular in the short term but dangerous to the state in the long term.
Stance on Corruption
Saturnius, an ally of Marius and Populares tribune, was sentenced to death ('the final decree') for hiring agents to beat to death the Optimates opposition to consulship. However, many Optimates were so angry that they ripped the tiles off the senate house, where he was being held, and stoned him and his friends to death. One of these Optimates was Rabirius, who Caesar, through Labienus, brought a case of perduellio (treason) against. The penalty was crucifixion but at this point, Rabirius was an old man who could not even remember what had happened. In reality, the case was important as it was challenging the use of the 'final decree'; Caesar wanted to set a precedent that former consuls could be prosecuted for using 'final decree' so Cicero would be afraid of using it.
Cicero intorduced a law that would punish those who had been accused of bribery during elections which would prevent the megarich, such as Crassus, from divtating who would win elections through their finance. Cicero also increased the penalty for electoral bribery to tten years in exile.
Cicero intorduced a law that would punish those who had been accused of bribery during elections which would prevent the megarich, such as Crassus, from divtating who would win elections through their finance. Cicero also increased the penalty for electoral bribery to tten years in exile.
Defence of Murena
In November of Ciero's year as consul, Cato accused Murena, the consul-elect, of bribery. Cicero defended him even though he was most likely guilty (known as corrupt so Cicero was defending a guilty person) and his co-advocates were Crasssus (again known as corrupt) and Hortensius. However, Cicero defended Murena as he believed it vatal that two consuls would be present the following year to protect from a dictatorship.
Catiline Conspiracy
On the 18th October, 63 BC, Crassus took letters to Cicero warning of a plot led by Catilina against Rome. The following day, Cicero read the letters in the senate and two days later passed the Senatus Consultum Ultimum ('final resolution of the senate' which created a state of martial law. News arrived that slaves were revolting in Capua and Apulia, creating panic in Rome.
The conspirators approached the Allobreges, a tribe of Gauls, asking for their assistance in the revolt. However, they reported the proposal and other details of the conspiracy to their Roman patron who then went straight to Cicero. They were instructed to pretend to go along with the conspirators. Cicero arranged for troops to ambush the conspirators with the envoys (the false allies) at the Milvian Bridge. The conspirators who had been caught were executed without trial in December of the same year. For Cicero's action, he was honoured and hailed as the saviour of his country and given the title pater patriae ('Father of the Nation').
The Senate then mobilised an army to face Catilina at Pistoria where he was killed in January of 62 BC. Every Catilinarian soldier fought to the death but their defeat ensured the ending of the conspiracy.
The conspirators approached the Allobreges, a tribe of Gauls, asking for their assistance in the revolt. However, they reported the proposal and other details of the conspiracy to their Roman patron who then went straight to Cicero. They were instructed to pretend to go along with the conspirators. Cicero arranged for troops to ambush the conspirators with the envoys (the false allies) at the Milvian Bridge. The conspirators who had been caught were executed without trial in December of the same year. For Cicero's action, he was honoured and hailed as the saviour of his country and given the title pater patriae ('Father of the Nation').
The Senate then mobilised an army to face Catilina at Pistoria where he was killed in January of 62 BC. Every Catilinarian soldier fought to the death but their defeat ensured the ending of the conspiracy.