The period 133-44BC, bookended by the murders of Tiberius Gracchus and Julius Caesar, was one of profound political change in the Roman world. Aspects of the Late Roman Republic, 133-44BC: Dipping into Cicero’s ‘Romulan Cesspool’ collects a series of 58 essays on various events and people of that era that can frequently be overlooked in larger works.The chapters appear in a variety of approaches and lengths. Some look at humorous happenings, others investigate interesting personages and events – examples include a look at Cato the Younger possibly interviewing a pharaoh whilst sitting on the lavatory, an inventor and house ‘flipper’ called Sergius Orata, the revolt of Lepidus, and the fixing of an election.While aiming to be interesting and entertaining, the entries can also serve as jumping-off points for more in-depth study. To facilitate this, each chapter lists the secondary sources used in its creation, which doubles as ‘Further Reading’. So, if you want more on the Gracchi, Marius, Sulla, Rome’s wars (internal and external), political trials, revolts or another subject addressed within, help is provided.There are also three subcollections interspersed throughout the compilation – the Catonic Interludes, which look at aspects of the career of Cato the Younger; Caesarian Setbacks, which look at battlefield defeats inflicted on Caesar and his lieutenants, while Avenging the Triumvirs looks at the fates of the men involved in the murders of Crassus, Pompey and Caesar.Looking at the Contents, you would be forgiven for thinking that ‘The Murder of…’ and ‘The Trial of…’ were also subcategories given how often chapters could be summed up in that manner…But then this Ancient Rome after all…
