The Catiline Conspiracy (ePub)

Gaius Sallustius Crispus, known simply as Sallust (86-35 BCE), was a distinguished Roman historian and politician, renowned for his crisp and trenchant style in Latin prose. His political career, marred by controversy, included a tribuneship in 52 BCE and a subsequent governorship of the province of Africa Nova, but it is his historical writings that have cemented his place in the annals of classical literature. Sallust is best known for his monographs 'The Catiline Conspiracy' (De Catilinae Coniuratione) and 'The Jugurthine War' (Bellum Jugurthinum), as well as his historical fragments collected in 'Histories' (Historiae). 'The Catiline Conspiracy' delves into the notorious plot against the Roman Republic led by the ambitious senator Lucius Sergius Catilina in 63 BCE. Sallust's narrative not only chronicles the events but also provides insight into the causes of moral decline in Roman public life. His analysis of character and his cynical portrayal of the political culture of his time reflect a disillusionment with the senatorial oligarchy, an outlook likely influenced by his alignment with Julius Caesar's Populares party. His work is marked by an economy of expression and a distinctive, sometimes archaic, choice of words, all of which contribute to the power and effectiveness of his historical observations. While his explicit moralizing approach has prompted both praise and criticism, Sallust's contribution to the development of Roman historiography and political thought remains invaluable.