Source edition
Sallust. C. Sallusti Crispi Catilina, Iugurtha, orationes et epistulae excerptae de historiis. Ahlberg, Axel Wilhelm, editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1919.
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA (per Perseus's terms)
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This historical work depicts the domestic and foreign crises of the late Roman Republic through a collection of powerful speeches and letters delivered by key politicians, generals, and foreign monarchs. Set against the backdrop of the turbulent period following Sulla's death, the text explores the loss of liberty, the rise of oligarchy, and the escalating military conflicts threatening Rome. Domestically, figures like Lepidus and Macer address the Roman citizens, denouncing the cruelty of the Sullan regime and urging them to rise up to restore their ancestral freedom and tribunician rights. In response, Philippus delivers a fiery warning to the Senate, demanding decisive action against Lepidus's rebellion, while Consul Cotta and General Pompey plead for immediate state support amid severe military and financial distress. On the foreign front, a strategic letter from Mithridates, King of Pontus, exposes Rome's insatiable lust for dominion and seeks an alliance with Parthia. Through these vivid rhetorical pieces, the work powerfully illustrates the fragmentation, desperation, and conflicting ambitions that pushed the Republic to its limits.