Cicero Minor
Encyclopedia
Marcus Tullius Cicero Minor (Minor Latin for ‘the younger’), or Cicero the Younger, was born in 64 BC
. He was the son of Marcus Tullius Cicero, who as a distinguished orator and consular senator was one of the leading figures of the Roman Republic
during the 1st century BC. His mother was Terentia, Cicero senior’s first wife. Cicero minor had an older sister, Tullia Ciceronis
, who was born in 79 BC and died in 45 BC. In the beginning Cicero wished to have a military career. On the outbreak of civil war in 49 BC, he joined the side of Pompey
like his father. After Pompey’s defeat by Julius Caesar
at Pharsalus
in 48 BC, Cicero minor was pardoned by Caesar.
Cicero was sent off to Athens
by his father to learn philosophy. While he was at Athens he wrote a letter to Tiro, a slave and later freedman of the Cicero family, in which he said that he was practicing declamation in Greek with Gorgais but had to let him go, because his father had told him to, because Cicero Minor did not wish to offend his father according to his letter to Tiro. Cicero minor then was taught declamation in Greek by Cassius
, and Latin with Brutus
, the two leading conspirators in the assassination of Caesar who, their deed complete, were in Greece trying to gain support for the war against the Second Triumvirate
. Brutus praised Cicero and admired him for his noble spirit and his detestation of tyranny. During his time in Athens
, Brutus gave Cicero a command and used his services in a number of successful undertakings.
After his father was murdered in 43 BC on the orders of Mark Antony
, Cicero joined up with the army of Liberatores led by Cassius and Brutus. Brutus had recruited Cicero to help keep Greece under control. After their defeat at the battle of Philippi
in 42 BC Octavian pardoned Cicero and they worked together in the forthcoming struggle against Antony. Cicero became an augur
, a religious official who would foretell events by looking and interpreting omens and signs and helped with making public decisions. Cicero participated in the battle of Actium
in 31 BC, where Octavian
defeated Antony, who later committed suicide.
Cicero was nominated as a consul for 30 BC and announced Antony's death to the senate. He was appointed the proconsul over Syria
and the province of Asia. Cicero was also able to revoke the honours of Antony and remove all his statues. Cicero also made a decree that no member of the family would ever bear the name Marcus again. “In this way Heaven entrusted the family of Cicero the final acts in the punishment of Antony.”
64 BC
Year 64 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Caesar and Figulus...
. He was the son of Marcus Tullius Cicero, who as a distinguished orator and consular senator was one of the leading figures of the Roman Republic
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
during the 1st century BC. His mother was Terentia, Cicero senior’s first wife. Cicero minor had an older sister, Tullia Ciceronis
Tullia Ciceronis
Tullia Ciceronis, also Tulliola was the only daughter and first child to Roman orator and politician Marcus Tullius Cicero from his first marriage to Terentia...
, who was born in 79 BC and died in 45 BC. In the beginning Cicero wished to have a military career. On the outbreak of civil war in 49 BC, he joined the side of Pompey
Pompey
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, also known as Pompey or Pompey the Great , was a military and political leader of the late Roman Republic...
like his father. After Pompey’s defeat by Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
at Pharsalus
Battle of Pharsalus
The Battle of Pharsalus was a decisive battle of Caesar's Civil War. On 9 August 48 BC at Pharsalus in central Greece, Gaius Julius Caesar and his allies formed up opposite the army of the republic under the command of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus...
in 48 BC, Cicero minor was pardoned by Caesar.
Cicero was sent off to Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
by his father to learn philosophy. While he was at Athens he wrote a letter to Tiro, a slave and later freedman of the Cicero family, in which he said that he was practicing declamation in Greek with Gorgais but had to let him go, because his father had told him to, because Cicero Minor did not wish to offend his father according to his letter to Tiro. Cicero minor then was taught declamation in Greek by Cassius
Gaius Cassius Longinus
Gaius Cassius Longinus was a Roman senator, a leading instigator of the plot to kill Julius Caesar, and the brother in-law of Marcus Junius Brutus.-Early life:...
, and Latin with Brutus
Brutus
Brutus is the cognomen of the Roman gens Junia, a prominent family of the Roman Republic. The plural of Brutus is Bruti, and the vocative form is Brute, as immortalized in the quotation "Et tu, Brute?", from Shakespeare's play, Julius Caesar....
, the two leading conspirators in the assassination of Caesar who, their deed complete, were in Greece trying to gain support for the war against the Second Triumvirate
Liberators' civil war
The Liberators' civil war was started by the Second Triumvirate to avenge Julius Caesar's murder. The war was fought by the forces of Mark Antony and Octavian against the forces of Caesar's assassins Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus in 42 BC.-Prelude:After the murder of Caesar,...
. Brutus praised Cicero and admired him for his noble spirit and his detestation of tyranny. During his time in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Brutus gave Cicero a command and used his services in a number of successful undertakings.
After his father was murdered in 43 BC on the orders of Mark Antony
Mark Antony
Marcus Antonius , known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general. As a military commander and administrator, he was an important supporter and loyal friend of his mother's cousin Julius Caesar...
, Cicero joined up with the army of Liberatores led by Cassius and Brutus. Brutus had recruited Cicero to help keep Greece under control. After their defeat at the battle of Philippi
Battle of Philippi
The Battle of Philippi was the final battle in the Wars of the Second Triumvirate between the forces of Mark Antony and Octavian and the forces of Julius Caesar's assassins Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus in 42 BC, at Philippi in Macedonia...
in 42 BC Octavian pardoned Cicero and they worked together in the forthcoming struggle against Antony. Cicero became an augur
Augur
The augur was a priest and official in the classical world, especially ancient Rome and Etruria. His main role was to interpret the will of the gods by studying the flight of birds: whether they are flying in groups/alone, what noises they make as they fly, direction of flight and what kind of...
, a religious official who would foretell events by looking and interpreting omens and signs and helped with making public decisions. Cicero participated in the battle of Actium
Battle of Actium
The Battle of Actium was the decisive confrontation of the Final War of the Roman Republic. It was fought between the forces of Octavian and the combined forces of Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII. The battle took place on 2 September 31 BC, on the Ionian Sea near the city of Actium, at the Roman...
in 31 BC, where Octavian
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
defeated Antony, who later committed suicide.
Cicero was nominated as a consul for 30 BC and announced Antony's death to the senate. He was appointed the proconsul over Syria
Syria (Roman province)
Syria was a Roman province, annexed in 64 BC by Pompey, as a consequence of his military presence after pursuing victory in the Third Mithridatic War. It remained under Roman, and subsequently Byzantine, rule for seven centuries, until 637 when it fell to the Islamic conquests.- Principate :The...
and the province of Asia. Cicero was also able to revoke the honours of Antony and remove all his statues. Cicero also made a decree that no member of the family would ever bear the name Marcus again. “In this way Heaven entrusted the family of Cicero the final acts in the punishment of Antony.”
Resources
- PlutarchPlutarchPlutarch then named, on his becoming a Roman citizen, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus , c. 46 – 120 AD, was a Greek historian, biographer, essayist, and Middle Platonist known primarily for his Parallel Lives and Moralia...
- Cicero and Brutus - http://www.skidmore.edu/classics/cicero/family.html
External links
- Marcus Tullius Cicero the younger entry in historical sourcebook by Mahlon H. Smith