Statesman · 106 BC – 43 BC
Cicero
Rose to the consulship as a "new man", became Rome's greatest orator, popularized Greek philosophy in Latin, and defended the Republic against tyranny until his death in the proscriptions following Caesar's assassination.
Greatest Achievements
- Reached the consulship as a 'new man' without noble ancestry.
- Exposed and suppressed the Catiline conspiracy.
- Rendered Greek philosophy into elegant Latin for posterity.
Major Accomplishments
- Reached the consulship as a 'new man' without noble ancestry.
- Exposed and suppressed the Catiline conspiracy.
- Rendered Greek philosophy into elegant Latin for posterity.
Major Works
- On the Republic (De re publica)
- On Duties (De officiis)
- The Catilinarian Orations
- On the Nature of the Gods
Impact Analysis
Cicero shaped Western prose, rhetoric and political thought; his works were central to the Renaissance, and his defense of republican liberty inspired thinkers of the Enlightenment and the American founders.
Historical influence score: 88/100