Aspects of the Late Roman Republic, 133-44BC

Dipping into Cicero's 'Romulan Cesspool'

Peter Crawford

• Publisher: Pen and Sword History
• Year: 2026
• eBook ISBN:
  9781036146832
• Topic: History
• Index: History

This exploration reveals how the Late Roman Republic's dramatic shifts, from Gracchus to Caesar, reshape our understanding of power, fame, and fate in ancient Rome.

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…

Table of contents

• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• List of Maps
• Catonic Interlude I
• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7
• Chapter 8
• Chapter 9
• Chapter 10
• Chapter 11
• Chapter 12
• Caesarian Setback I
• Chapter 13
• Chapter 14
• Catonic Interlude II
• Chapter 15
• Caesarian Setback II
• Chapter 16
• Chapter 17
• Chapter 18
• Chapter 19
• Chapter 20
• Caesarian Setback III
• Chapter 21
• Chapter 22
• Catonic Interlude III
• Chapter 23
• Chapter 24
• Chapter 25
• Chapter 26
• Catonic Interlude IV
• Caesarian Setback IV
• Chapter 27
• Chapter 28
• Chapter 29
• Caesarian Setback Va–b
• Chapter 30
• Chapter 31
• Avenging the Triumvirs I
• Catonic Interlude V
• Chapter 32
• Caesarian Setback VI
• Avenging the Triumvirs II
• Chapter 33
• Catonic Interlude VI
• Chapter 34
• Caesarian Setback VII
• Chapter 35
• Chapter 36
• Catonic Interlude VII
• Chapter 37
• Caesarian Setback VIII
• Chapter 38
• Chapter 39
• Chapter 40
• Avenging the Triumvirs III
• Primary Bibliography