Sallust, Bellum Catilinae

Victor Parker (University of Canterbury)

Ed. by Sophia Papaioannou, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.1.2: Ancient Roman Writing and Culture (Republic and Empire), -750-476.
Vol. editors: William John Dominik (University of Otago), Giacomo Fedeli (University of Exeter), Thomas Habinek (University of Southern California), Emily Kneebone (University of Nottingham), Elodie Paillard (University of Sydney), Sophia Papaioannou (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens), Jula Wildberger (American University of Paris)

Dates

First circulation or publication -45 - -40

Places

Ancient Rome (Republic & Empire) (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Historiography

Resources

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A. Historical background

L. Sergius Catilina was an ambitious nobleman whose career had begun during the civil wars of the 80s as an unscrupulous tool of Sulla’s in whose employ he allegedly committed various murders (Plut. Sul. 32,3; Com.Pet. 9; Sall. Hist. I 36 McGushin). After Sulla’s victory, Catiline was allegedly vicious in the bloody proscriptions which followed (Com.Pet. 9; Sall. Hist. I 37 McGushin; Asc. Tog.Cand. p. 84). Despite various scandals (e.g. Asc. Tog.Cand. p. 91), he became praetor in 68 (Asc. Tog.Cand. p. 85). In the next two years he was propraetor in Africa (Asc. Tog.Cand. p. 85; Cic. Cael. 10) where he is said to have enriched himself at the expense of the provincials (Asc. Tog.Cand. Pp. 85-86). These accusations cost him the chance to stand for the consulship

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1983 words

Citation: Parker, Victor. "Bellum Catilinae". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 23 September 2013 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=34384, accessed 18 April 2024.]

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