Statesman · 106 BC – 43 BC

Cicero

Little-Known Facts

  • The rediscovery of Cicero's letters by Petrarch helped spark the Renaissance.
  • His severed hands and head were displayed in the Roman Forum after his execution.

Myths & Misconceptions

Was Cicero a Roman emperor?

No. Cicero was a statesman of the Roman Republic who fought against the concentration of power; the Republic gave way to emperors only after his death.