Marcus Tullius Cicero

Everything Everywhere Daily: History, Science, Geography & More

This episode explores the extraordinary life and career of Marcus Tullius Cicero during the twilight of the Roman Republic. It details his r

Key takeaways

• Cicero was a 'novus homo,' rising to the highest levels of Roman politics without ancestral connections to the senatorial class.
• His legal victory in the prosecution of Gaius Verres established his reputation as a formidable and meticulous orator.

Main topics

• The life of Marcus Tullius Cicero
• The decline of the Roman Republic

Notable quotes

His weapons were words, law, and an extraordinary ability to persuade.

Conclusion

Cicero's legacy demonstrates that while military power can seize a sta

Transcript preview

Speaker 2 (0:00) In the final decades of the Roman Republic, power increasingly belonged to men who controlled armies. Yet, one man rose to the highest levels of Roman politics without conquering territory or leading legions. His weapons were words, law, and an extraordinary ability to persuade. He exposed conspiracies, confronted dictators, shaped political philosophy for centuries, and ultimately paid for his speeches with his life. Learn more about the life, career, and legacy of Marcus Tullius Cicero on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. Speaker 4 (0:46) Comprehensive. Speaker 3 (0:47) Witty. Speaker 4 (0:48) Speculative. Critical. Insightful. Profound. Wide-ranging. Speaker 3 (0:51) Hopefully Speaker 1 (0:52) doesn't take itself too, too seriously. Speaker 3 (0:54) I'm David Remnick, and each week on The New Yorker Radio Hour, my colleagues and I try to make sense of what's happening in this chaotic world. I hope you'll join us for The New Yorker Radio Hour wherever you listen to podcasts. Speaker 4 (1:07) Thoughtful. Exquisite. Just, you know, real. Speaker 1 (1:15) I'm Alan. And I'm Sean. And together we host the Prancing Pony Podcast. Every week I explore Middle Earth with Sean or with other co-hosts lately with in-depth analysis and plenty of nerd humor. From The Hobbit to The Lord of the Rings and more, it's a great way for first-timers to experience J.R.R. Tolkien's captivating world. And for longtime fans, it's a deep dive into their favorite stories. So if you're ready to take the next step into the most beloved world in fantasy literature and become a part of a vibrant, active community of listeners, then look for The Prancing Pony Podcast. wherever you listen. Speaker 2 (1:49) Marcus Tullius Cicero was one of the most important figures in the period marking the end of the Roman Republic, alongside such other notable figures as Julius Caesar, Augustus, and Mark Anthony. However, in most retellings of this period, Cicero is given a supporting role next to the other characters. Yet, Cicero was a major figure in his own right, and his path to power was unique. Moreover, I've mentioned Cicero enough times in previous episodes that I figure it was time that he got his own. But before I start, I should note one important thing. Cicero's name in classical Latin wasn't pronounced Cicero. It was pronounced Kikiro. The change in how the letter C was pronounced in Latin happened in the Middle Ages, and it's been passed down to us today. So for the rest of the episode, I will be using Cicero, but if you went back in time and called him that, he would have no clue who you were talking to. Marcus Tullius Cicero was born on January 3rd, 106 BC near the town of Arpinum, roughly 100 kilometers southeast of Rome. His family belonged to the local Italian elite. They were prosperous landowners and Roman citizens, but they were not members of the Roman senatorial class. Cicero therefore entered national politics as what Romans would call a novus homo, or a new man, meaning that he was someone who didn't have a consul among his ancestors. His family name Cicero probably came from the Latin word kiker, meaning chickpea. Ancient writers later told stories about one of his ancestors having a chickpea-shaped mark on his face, although this may have been an explanation invented after the fact. Cicero's family was wealthy enough to provide him and his younger brother Quintus with an excellent education. As adolescents, they were sent to Rome, where Cicero studied rhetoric, literature, law, philosophy, and politics. He came into contact with leading intellectuals of his age, including the famous legal scholar Quintus Mucius Scyvola and Greek philosophers who had settled or lectured in Rome. From an early age, Cicero displayed an extraordinary talent for speaking and writing. Cicero grew up