Catilina

Catilina ( Lucius Sergius Catilina ) (108 - 62 av. J. - C) was a Roman politician first century BC which is known for its conspiracies to reverse the Roman République and particularly its aristocratic Senate

Resulting from an impoverished noble family, Catilina is used during the social Guerre with Pompée and Cicéron under the orders as Pompeius Strabo. Then it supports Sylla at the time of the civil war of 84 - 81 front J. - C.

In 73 front J. - C. it is shown of adultery with a Vestale, Fabia, which was the half-sister of the woman of Cicéron.

It becomes Préteur in 68 front J. - C. and controls the province Africa during the two years which follow. On its return it is continued for abuse of power and is discharged then in 66 front J. - C. it is shown of conspiracy with Autronius and Sylla, but this conspiracy is badly known for us.

In 64 front J. - C. it is beaten by Cicéron with the elections Consul surfaces for year 63. Catilina then decides to be presented in the form of a defender of the Populares and the veterans of Sylla. And it starts to organize a new conspiracy.

In 63 front J. - C. Cicéron become consul discovers the conspiracy and reveals it with the Senate, in a famous speech starting with these words:

“ Quousque tandem abutere, Catilina, patientia will nostra? ” - Until with when, Catilina, you of our patience will misuse?

who obliged Catilina to flee Rome. It resided in Etrurie in his friend Manlius, leaving with his partisans the care to seek the complicity of Allobroges (Gallic tribe of the Narbonensis province. Those refused and informed even the Roman authorities. On proposal of Caton d' Utique, Catilina and its clicks conspirators were condemned to died by a senatus consultum ultimum , which was illegal. (sources: Salluste + Encyclopedia of the traditional antiquity published with the editions Sequoia)

In January 62 front J. - C. Catilina and his/her companions are intercepted and demolished by Roman troops with Pistorium (auj. Pistoia) and Catilina finds death as a combatant there. A senator commented on: “What a beautiful death! … It's a pity that it did not serve the Republic”.

The conspiracies of Catilina inspired several literary works: Catilinaires of Cicéron, speeches made with the Senate, which became an example of eloquence and Rhétorique and the history of this conspiracy written by Salluste under the title of De Conjuratione Catilinæ .

The history of this conspiracy was written by Salluste and, at the 19th century, by Prosper Mérimée (1844). The Catilinaires of Cicéron add seizing details to it. Crébillon father, in Catilina (1748), Voltaire, in saved Rome , put on the scene the conspiracy and the fine tragedy of Catilina.

External bonds

Life of Lucius Sergius Catilina
Study of the conspiracy of Catilina per Gaston BOISSIER of the French Academy (1905)
Roman History, conspiracy of Catilina

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