Episode Details

The Rise of a New Man and the Trial of Roscius. Guest Author: Josiah Osgood. Marcus Tullius Cicero was born into a non-elite family in 106 BCE, making him a "new man" in the Roman Republic. Rising through the political ranks required winning elections that were typically controlled by a small group of powerful families. Cicero gained fame as a masterful orator and defense attorney by navigating the Roman criminal courts, which were often used to target corrupt politicians. These trials were held in the public forum to allow citizens to see justice being served. In his debut criminal case, a thirty-year-old Cicero defended a man named Roscius against a charge of parricide. Parricide was considered a uniquely dreadful crime by the Romans, punishable by being sewn into a sack with animals and cast into the sea. Cicero functioned as his own private detective, investigating the facts behind the prosecution's claims. He discovered that a group had taken advantage of the elder Roscius's death to seize his property for a low sum. By telling a compelling story and asking "cui bono"—who stands to gain—Cicero successfully argued that his client had been framed. This high-stakes victory established his reputation and demonstrated his ability to use the courtroom as a stage for political advancement. 1
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