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106 BCE
Birth
Marcus Tullius Cicero, born in 106 BCE, was the eldest son of Marcus Tullius Cicero and Helvia. He was born in a small town, Arpinum, that is in Latium. -
Period: 97 BCE to 90 BCE
Early Education
His father took him and his younger brother to Rome to give them the best education possible. -
89 BCE
War
Cicero stopped his education to serve for the Roman Army in the Social War. After serving, he returned to studying because he was disturbed by his experiences in war. -
81 BCE
Start of Legal Career
After studying law under the augur, Quintus Mucius Scaevola, he was known to be an exemplary lawyer after defending Sextus Roscius. -
Period: 79 BCE to 77 BCE
Greek Oratory
Cicero traveled to Athens and Rhodes to continue his education in Greek oratory and philosophy and was influenced by the Stoic philosopher Panaetius. -
77 BCE
First Marriage
He married Terentia and revived his legal career. -
75 BCE
First Public Office
His first public office was as quaestor in Western Sicily after serving two years in courts. -
Period: 69 BCE to 63 BCE
Political Career
He was elected aedile in 69, praetor three years later, and consul in 63. -
63 BCE
Catilinarian Conspiracy
Roman statesman Catiline plotted to take over the Roman government by provoking armed uprisings throughout Italy and arson in Rome. In a controversial speech, Cicero persuaded the Roman Senate to execute the conspirators without allowing them a trial. Cicero received applause when he announced the execution to the crowd outside the Roman Forum. -
60 BCE
His Republican Ideals
Despite being recognized for his political talents, he refused an offer to join the First Triumvirate (Pompey the Great, Julius Caesar, and Marcus Licinius Crassus) because he viewed the takeover as unconstitutional. -
58 BCE
Clodius Pulcher
He despised Cicero and created a law that targeted him by stating that anyone who executed a Roman citizen without a trial would be stripped of their citizenship and exiled. He was under physical threat so he fled to Greece while his property was confiscated and his home was burnt down. However, he spent this time to further his philosophical studies. -
57 BCE
Change in Political Tide
Cicero was recalled to Senate through the influence of Pompey and a change in political tide. During his time back, he tried to persuade Pompey to sever his alliance with Caesar and Crassus but without success. Instead, Cicero reluctantly aligned himself with the triumvirate because he was indebted to Pompey. -
Period: 57 BCE to 51 BCE
Semi Retirement
He went into semi retirement and continues his philosophical and rhetorical studies. He also wrote most of his philosophical works (On the Orator, On the Republic, and On the Laws) during this time. -
51 BCE
Returning to Politics
He eagerly reentered public life by accepting the office of proconsul of Cicilia and proved to be a fair and benevolent administrator. -
Period: 49 BCE to 45 BCE
Civil War in Rome
When Cicero returned to Rome, a civil war between Pompey and Caesar erupted and Cicero was loosely allied with Pompey. After Caesar won, Cicero was pardoned but abstained from public office. He devoted himself to philosophy and writing for the rest of his life. -
44 BCE
Assassination of Caesar
Although Cicero was not involved in the assassination of Caesar, he used this opportunity to restore the Roman republic and made a series of speeches, called the Philippics to support Octavian and for Senate to announce Mark Antony as the enemy of the state. -
43 BCE
Death
Cicero was assassinated because he was on Mark Antony's proscription list for speaking ill of him in Philippics. He was captured and killed in Formiae, Latium on December 7, 43 BCE. -
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Citation
Girod, Christina. "Cicero." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras, ABC-CLIO, 2017, ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/585253. Accessed 26 Feb. 2017.
