Today I learned who Cicero really was. I mean, I’d heard the name. I’ve known he was Roman…but I couldn’t tell you why I knew his name. Honestly, I’d have guessed he was a playwright or a poet (conflating him with Seneca, I think?).
He was a politician it turns out, and one of a group of Romans in his day that apparently became rather obsessed with early Roman history. And its largely through his writings of ancient-ancient Rome that we get must of our own understanding of that time ourselves. He was also famous largely because of his conflict with another Roman politician, both of them Senators, named Cataline. The latter had intended to mount a revolution, aided by the poor, against the Roman elite. Cicero was the “hero,” Cataline the “villain”…because history is written by the victorious. Reality, I’m sure, was far more complicated, and we’re certain that Cicero aggrandized himself. How much? We’re not sure. We are pretty certain there was a revolution, however. There’s plenty of evidence of that. A botched revolution, really, but one that Cicero and company did seem to triumph over.
So, yeah…that’s about all I know so far. The book I’m reading will elaborate on it, I’m sure.
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A non-day. A burnout day. Didn’t do much except (most of) the laundry. Watched some Andor and quali for Monaco. And a little Welcome to Wrexham with Liz. It was the day I needed. Gonna have another one like it tomorrow, I think. We’ll see.
Night night.