Life

C. Sallustius Crispus was born ca. 86 B.C. in the Sabine town of Amiternum (Hieronymus, Schoene II, p. 133; Consularia Constantinopolitana, p. 224 Burgess). Nothing is known of his early life, though he presumably came from a well-to-do family and received a solid education. He arrived in Rome as a young man and there entered political life (Cat. 3,3). He became Quaestor ca. 56 B.C. (Inv.in Sall. 15) and entered the Senate. He was Tribune of the Plebs in 52 (Asc. Mil. p. 37). Expelled from the Senate in 50 (Dio, XL 63), he took Julius Caesar’s side in the ensuing civil war (Oros. VI 15,8). After Caesar’s victory at Pharsala in 48, he became Quaestor again and accordingly re-entered the Senate (Inv.in Sall. 17). As a loyal lieutenant of Caesar’s (App. Bell.civ. II 92; Dio, XLII

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Citation: Parker, Victor. "Sallust". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 23 September 2013 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=3918, accessed 19 March 2024.]

3918 Sallust 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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