Conspiracy of Catilina

The conspiracy of Catilina is a plot aiming at the seizure of power, then in place with Rome, 63 av.- J.C Although the memories especially retained this event, it acted for Catilina of its second attempt of Coup d'etat after the failure of a first conspiracy into 65. The town of Rome is then for a long time safe from an enemy attack. However it must face many interior disorders armed since the social Guerre (91 av.- J.C - 88 av.- J.C) which put at evil the République and its population. The plot carried out by Catilina and its partisans however resembles of nothing so that knew Rome until now and this because of its objectives as well as composition of its members.

Causes of the development of such a movement

Political problems

The dictatorship of Sylla involved in Italy of the end of I er of many disorders, at the same time social and political. Indeed, in order to reward its veterans, this last had decided to grant to them grounds not taken on the enemy but confiscated Roman citizens, very often of the partisans of Marius, his adversary of the time. The number of recipients of these measurements rises with approximately 120.000 veterans, creating a mass of peasants and owners turned sour by this spoliation.

From a political point of view, many noble touched by the proscriptions proclaimed by Sylla in 81 and which cannot thus aspire to any magistrature protest more and more against what they estimate to be an injustice and this, until obtaining win. Moreover, the abdication of the dictator in 79 left a vacuum in the Institutions of the Roman Republic and highlighted the incapacity of the Republic to manage a so vast territory from now on.

Thus it is very often in the street that most of the political problems is regulated. For example, Lépide, consul in 78 issues Sylla public enemy what causes a true outcry. The business is solved by the weapons, Lépide is initially beaten in 77 by Pompée but one of its lieutenants, Sertorius flees in Spain where it organizes a shadow governement which is definitively overcome only in 71. The civil war is finished but it leaves traces and marks the weakness of the Republic clearly.

As for the Senate, he sees himself by certain events not discredited but its will have weakens with for example the accusations of corruption against courts controlled by the senators, or with the difficulties which he tests to solve the external crises as when it is unable to put an end to piracy, and that it entrusts in 67 to Pompée an extraordinary military command to cure it.

It thus appears obvious that Sylla showed in first that the capacity of only one man was not only possible, but that it was especially necessary to the survival of Rome because much more effective in such a context. The dictator showed the way, and in these times of disorders, its example in made reflect more one.

Economic problems

For this political crisis, it is necessary to add the economic problems which overpower Rome since 67 because of the cost of the war against Mithridate and the pirates. A good number of the veterans syllaiens not having the means of exploiting their grounds or of paying their taxes, try to resell them. But the political situation having changed since their obtaining, they from now on are regarded as illegal and the transferees does not have a presentiment of themselves to acquire them. From where a low selling price which causes the ruin of part of these veterans, loans from now on to follow no matter whom will promise to them to improve their condition. The development of the latifundia, large farms to the very often speculative culture employing slaves, as well as the competition of foreign, in particular Egyptian corns because less expensive and finally the devastations caused by civil wars like the servile revolt carried out by Spartacus between 73 and 71 is the leading causes of the agrarian crisis which marks the Republic.

The capital vis-a-vis that cannot large thing, because the war is expensive. But it slows down also the traffic with the East and that results in significant drops of the incomes of part of the population incentive the creditors to claim their money with debtors in impossibility of doing it, thus increasing the tensions. The noble ones are also touched by this crisis which weakens still more some of them already ruined for a long time by their taste of the luxury which requires important expenditure. One of them is pointed out into 63.

Catilina

Lucius Sergius Catilina, born in 108 in the people Sergia, account in its family a hero of second Punic War, a back wounded grandfather 24 times in the successive battles, like one of the companions of Enée. But neither these exploits nor this great birth benefitted a family which is never really prosperous. From where at Catilina a certain will with always emphasizing its social position as if it had to compensate for a certain complex of inferiority which is translated at his place by a great ambition.

This careerism is been used by a great capacity as attraction which it could exert on people and in particular the young people of ruined families and with sometimes doubtful manners. It allures them by its energy, its boldness and its resolution, and the latter form around him a kind of guard of honor. It serves Pompéius Strabo during the social Guerre then supports Sylla at the time of its dictatorship, which is not astonishing since this last was known for generosities which it granted to its partisans; it carried out for him executions remained in the memories by their cruelty. However, Catilina guard of honourable friendships, escapes the purgings from the Sénat from 70 like with some lawsuits undergone by socially less low people.

Prosecutor his Cursus honorum it obtains the load of Préteur (magistrate in load of the legal questions) of the Province of Africa in 68 and this during 2 years, until its managed decide to carry felt sorry for to the Sénat showing it of abuse of power. He is finally discharged into 64 with the support of the Optimates (aristocrats) and by corruption. But meanwhile, this business which prevents it from standing as a candidate to the consulate for the same year strongly opposes it. It decides to foment or to only integrate, one does not know too much because information misses because of discrete epilog, a first conspiracy having for objective to assassinate the consuls places from there in order to replace them by Catilina like one of his/her companions. The operation is a failure and all leave without encumbers of this bâclé plot.

Conspiracy of Catilina

However when it loses once again into 64 the elections for the consulate of 63 against Cicéron, it forms a cabal organized well better of which the goal is to reverse the capacity in place.

Typology of entreated

One really does not know from when Catilina organizes really its conspiracy. This time, the preparation is pushed much and in addition to being based on the network of influence which it already has thanks to its first attempt it organizes two groups of entreated.

First group: the powerful ones:
#On finds the large noble ones of Rome to sometimes important prestige with former magistrates, praetors, to see even consuls. For a great part ruined, the come to power of a strong man ensured them of being able to get rid of their creditors easily and they can place at the disposal of Catilina for actions of force in the capital their customer freed S, slaves and.
#Les young people is numerous in this plot. As one said, Catilina exerts near part of the young jet set a great power of attraction and the latter are ready to serve it, more especially as a good part of them was touched by the crisis of 67, not having consolidated their inheritance yet.
#Autres actors important of the conspiracy, the women are they also shown active. Indeed, of the innovations as the law which gives to the woman the free provision of her personal fortune so that it can carry it when it left her husband, returned the woman of the more independent Roman high society, and having to manage the same problems as the men like the debts, reason which explains their important participation in the project of Catilina. But perhaps must one see as there the capacity of seduction as this last exerted on them, like perhaps a certain will of emancipation and the desire for projecting himself towards a new ideal which would replace that of the matron of formerly.

Second group, the army required by Catilina:
#Pour that, it is made the champion of the cause of the veterans of Sylla, so that the latter unite with him.
# Far from limiting itself to them, it tries to include all the dissatisfied ones by making use of the experiment retained of the servile wars on the force which the dissatisfied ones can represent, of the Gladiateur to the slaves employed in the latifundia, while passing by expropriés and the shepherds who in other areas fomented important revolts as in Sicily.
#Catilina goes even until requiring its assistance of the Gallic people of the Al which then accept badly the Roman domination. There is thus a typology of entreated without no real coherence.

It was thus a question just for Catilina of mobilizing the greatest number, even if a good part is ready to be active only if the exit of the beginning of rising seems to them promised with a favorable outcome.

Denounced conspiracy

However, before causing or not a showdown, Catilina once more tries to seize the capacity legally, which shows in the passing the importance to show with all that one respects the laws, will of which made to proof later the future Auguste, because the Romans carry the royalty of horror and to use the conventional means to arrive at its ends would facilitate its task largely to him once the reins of the République between its hands. However, the countryside is of a rare verbal violence, Catilina anxious by its remarks sometimes threatening and of the rumors circulate in Rome on discussions not less moderate at its political meetings.

Cicéron judge then good to push back the expiries of the vote, but one needs well that it takes place and with the final one, Catilina essuie a new defeat. Its disappointment to lose the consular elections for the third time pushes it to seek obtaining the authority in a more radical way.

The doubt plane following the disputes of Sulpicius (a large jurisconsult) on the legality of the election of Murena (a soldier, lieutenant de Pompée) to the consular distinction because it suspects it of having corrupted of the voters to arrive to its ends. However, thanks to the intervention of Cicéron which manages to make hear with the senators that political disturbances are too serious to allow the vacancy of a post of senator, Murena sees itself confirmed in its functions of consul designatus, with Silanus. Catilina reacts violently and radicalizes its movement. He asks its entreated of which Manlius, a centurion installed in Étrurie to be held ready to raise troops.

October 21st, 63, the conspiracy is known of Cicéron which had wind of the intrigues of entreated by Fulvia, the mistress of the one of them, Q. Curius. It did not find to convince it better to remain with him, to tell him its projects. It went to prevent Cicéron. The organization of this plot is thus very light since entreated do not feel not threatened, and some are with the current of things which they do not fear to repeat with people who do not form part of it. The Sénat is thus with the current of the action that Catilina prepares as of on October 21st.

The Senate takes measures to counter the conspiracy

November 7th, Cicéron makes a statement into full Sénat where he affirms that Catilina prepares a rising in Etrurie. Moreover, during the night which precedes, it was victim of an attempted murder by members of the conspiracy. It thus tries to convince the Sénat to take measures against this plot. It is invested full powerss by the senatus consults ultimum , which issues an immediate state of emergency in the event of risks on Rome.

This measurement seems premature since entreated raise themselves in the north of Rome. However, one can think that Cicéron feared that Rome is taken disorders in its center. For him, that which would hold Rome would hold the victory.

The final proof that Catilina had allies in Rome arrives with the business of Al. These Gallic delegates are with Rome at the time them disorders to complain about the conditions in their province and entreated try to join the dissatisfied ones, even the Gallic ones. They obtain a letter signed of most important of entreated, than they give to the Sénat during the interception of the delegation whereas it left Rome.

Statilius, Gabinius, Cethegus and P. Cornelius Lentulus Sura is then stopped and appears before the Sénat. December 2nd, the principal members except Catilina were already out of state to harm. They are retained with Rome in residences of customer S or members of their family while waiting for their judgment.

Epilog

Nuns of December

December 5th, with the nuns of December 63, entreated are judged. The days which preceded on December 5th were animated because many informers was spontaneously presented to obtain shares of confiscation of shown and has even marked some men of more than have taken part in the conspiracy. Among them, Crassus and Jules César, because their kindness towards the populares makes believe that the cause of oppressed and the dissatisfied ones that Catilina defends is theirs. It is possible that two men have looked at conspiracy without too D `concern but he appears improbable that they were implied behind Catilina in a hazardous company, which did not fill their interests since Crassus had many richnesses, and that Jules César was a rising power, he had just been appointed praetor for 62.

The four marked ones are thus judged, Cicéron which speaks the first requires the Capital punishment against them, supported by Silanus, the appointed consul. However, when Jules César speaks, he proposes to the senators to imprison them with perpetuity in the Municipe S of Italy, rather than to condemn them to an illegal sorrow. Its proposal is as much, but it considers less serious the custodial sentence than death. The doubt is sown among the senators.

It is the intervention of Caton, this optimate which belongs to the nobilitas and which preaches very preserving values which seals the fate of entreated. For him, death is the only solution because the municipes are not sure, at least not more than Rome and it is possible that the defendants do not make their whole sorrow. Moreover, the only legal solution would be to exile them, but would be to enable them to join Etrurie, or rising continues, and to enlarge the rows of Catilina. The vote is without call and the point of view of Cicéron and Caton carries it even if Jules César succeeded in making rock Silanus towards its point of view. The execution takes place right after the meeting.

The role of Cicéron

Cicéron announces to the people that entreated “lived”. Its role at summer determining in all this business and it enjoys to point out it.

Initially, the fact that these events proceed under its consulate places it in the foreground. But Cicéron exaggerated its role through its behavior. To the elections for the consulate, it carried an armor under its toga and was made accompany by some faithful friends with sticks.

It amplifies also its role through its speeches, famous the Catilinaires, which are made in front of the Sénat:

first is marked on November 7th at the time when it proves that Catilina is responsible for the disorders.
second is marked a few days after, in front of the people this time Ci, to justify the sending of troops to repress the rising of Manlius.
the third is as marked in front of the people after the business of Al, to hold it with the current of the actions as Cicéron sets up to repress this revolt.
the fourth and last Catilinaire is the speech that Cicéron makes in front of the Sénat at the time of the lawsuit of the nuns of December.

These speeches reached us because Cicéron wrote them a few years after the facts certainly to prove to the men who it did not believe that its action was determining, but to surely as satisfy a need as everyone admits to him to be proposed compared to the others.

Consequences of this conspiracy for Cicéron and Catilina

However, in spite of its speeches that one can qualify “propagandists”, Cicéron is continued all its life by the judgment and the illegal judgment of entreated. It is defended by saying that all Rome supported it, which is true as from the moment when it is accompanied at his place the evening even by many Romans content with his action to save Rome.
De more, it legitimates its right by the senatus consults ultimum, which conferred all the rights well to him, and it thus did not need to refer to the popular assemblies, here, the Comices centuriates, to decide fate of entreated.

As for Catilina, the Roman popular imagery made of him a character of a great cruelty. It would have thus killed his wife to take some another or his/her son because his matron would have seen of an evil eye the presence of a heir in his new house. One also shows it at a meeting with conspirators to have proceeded to human sacrifices. Within sight of the morals of the main thing concerned as well as manners of the company of the end of I er not always irreproachable, these charges appear plausible but in the absence of evidence it seems difficult to affirm the veracity of it.
Ajouter with that a general tendency of lawyers with Rome to charge people whom they continue of imaginary crimes, opposite an audience besides very seldom easily deceived, and one can wonder whether these indictments are not at the origin of such charge which tend then more towards slandering.
Toujours is it that Catilina seems with final crystallizing the prototype even of the enemy conspirator of the République and its morals, to which the Romans are very hostile.

Conclusion

The end of the conspiracy arrived quickly after the lawsuit, just time with the troops that Cicéron sent to subdue the rising of Etrurie. Catilina and all its men died on the battle field as brave men like Cicéron itself says it. It was not likely to resist a long time because of the lack of unit and organization from which it suffered.
Cependant, the range of this plot is very important politically. It shows that the civil wars are far from being finished. It marks the differences in point of view between the three great political ideologies of this time with Rome: the populares of Crassus and Jules César, the optimates of Caton, and partisans of Cicéron, more moderate, men of the equestrian order or new men who obtain neither the support of the ones nor others, which places Cicéron in a delicate position.

Moreover the role that Cicéron is allotted is grown and the Romans of the time are not easily deceived, which leads its enemies to even discredit it to ridicule it. The policy is summarized as of the return of Pompée of the East by the relations between the populares and the optimates , without leaving with Cicéron of another choice to adhere to one or the other of the two parties.

External bonds

Sites proposing of the complete texts

Conspiracy of Catilina a translation of the text of Salluste which is one of the primary sources of information on Catilina.
Life of Lucius Sergius Catilina
Study of the conspiracy of Catilina per Gaston BOISSIER of the French Academy (1905)

Sites treating of Catilina

Roman History, conspiracy of Catilina
http://lettres.ac-rouen.fr/latin/provinc/catilina.html Sites little provided in information but presenting some points interesting on the consequences of this crisis.
http://www.hoocher.com/catilina.htm very good site on Catilina like its conspiracy, but for english-speaking only.

On Catilinaires

the text of Catilinaires on Wikisource
http://www4.ac-lille.fr/~weblettres/tice/rome/txt3rep.htm site which deciphers part of second Catilinaire.

In addition, the book of Gaston Boissier includes/understands a part provided on Catilinaires. ----

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