Marcus Porcius Cato

Enrica Sciarrino (University of Canterbury)
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Marcus Porcius Cato also known as “Cato the Censor” and “Cato the Elder” was one of the most prominent figures in the political and cultural life of Rome in the first half of the second century BC. Although he came from a family that lacked a history of political achievements, Cato was able to achieve the highest offices by appealing to ancestral virtues. He is often remembered for his hostility to Greek learning and poetic practices, but he is also considered the virtual founder of Latin prose literature.

Cato was born in 234 BC at Tusculum fifteen miles south of Rome in the Sabine country. Thanks to the support and patronage of L. Valerius Flaccus, Cato embarked on a career in public life by achieving in 204 BC the quaestorship, the lowest office on the ladder of electoral

1599 words

Citation: Sciarrino, Enrica. "Marcus Porcius Cato". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 17 September 2007 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=789, accessed 29 March 2024.]

789 Marcus Porcius Cato 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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