Cicero

Biography & Overview

Marcus Tullius Cicero ( SISS-ər-oh, Classical Latin: [ˈmaːrkʊs ˈtʊlli.ʊs ˈkɪkɛroː]; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, orator, and writer who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises of the Roman Republic that led to the establishment of the Roman Empire. The extensive writings of Cicero include treatises on rhetoric, philosophy, and politics. He is considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists and the innovator of what became known as "Ciceronian rhetoric". Cicero was educated in Rome and in Greece. He came from a wealthy municipal (municipium) family of the Roman equestrian order, and served as consul in 63 BC.
Cicero greatly influenced both ancient and modern reception of the Latin language. A substantial percentage of his work has survived, and he was admired by ancient and modern authors alike. He adapted the arguments of the chief schools of Hellenistic philosophy in Latin and coined a...