M.

Porcius Cato Uticensis “Rome’s last

citizen”
 Marcus Porcius Cato Uticensis
• Cato the younger*
• Born into a noble plebeian family in Rome 95BC
• Quaestor, tribune and praetor, but never consul
• The voice of Roman traditionalists
• Leading figure among the optimates
• Uncompromising in his conservative beliefs
about central role of the nobiles and the senate
• Took every opportunity to oppose personal
ambition embodied by populist individuals
 The influence of stoic philosophy
• Ideas of Stoicism were adapted to fit the context of time
and place.*
• While Zeno had urged removal from public and political
life, some Romans interpreted it as perfect connection
with political duty to the state, with its moral nature,
connecting it with ancient Roman values of manliness,
wisdom, rationality and duty
• Knowledge, free will, moral righteousness - coincided
with Zeno’s teaching
• As well as: self-control over one’s emotions: hardship
was to be endured; fortune, pleasure and pain – to be
matters of indifference
 Only virtue matters
• For Stoics entire human happiness depend
entirely on virtue
• Virtue is essential if we want to live fulfilled life
• For the stoics is important to live in accordance
to nature and that’s the way to achieve happy
life
• Only to pursue virtue is morally good
• Status, wealth, even family and health and all
other things beyond our control are matter of
indifference …..
 Military tribune 67BC
• A Stoic philosophical influence formed much
of Cato’s decision –making. Unmoved by
emotive arguments he attempted always to
stick to his principles and political idealism,
even if they may not have been in his own
interest
• Cato – military tribune in the elections 68BC –
the only candidate who did not turn to bribery
• As a military tribune in Macedon in 67 – lived
among his men rejecting luxurious lifestyle
 Quaestor 65 or 64 BC
• Cato as quaestor had begun his reorganization of the
treasury.
• Cato’s actions, and subsequent prosecutions of
beneficiaries of the Sullan proscriptions, should be
viewed as part of the series of popular, anti-corruption
moves seen in the 60s*
• Cato reviewed the recovery of debts owed to the
treasury
• Turned his attention to those who had received money
under the Sullan proscriptions**
 tribune-elect 63 BC/ Murena trial
• As a tribune-elect Cato had vowed that due to
the rampant bribery during the consular
election, he would prosecute the winners
• One was his brother-in-law, the other, Murena
• Unfortunately for Cato, Murena was defended by
the greatest orator – Cicero – who won the case*
• Cato was to play a pivotal role in concluding an
event that, according to Cicero, threatened the
Roman word with annihilation**
 Cato – tribune 62BC
• Modern historians have queried why Cato,
leader of the optimate cause, decided to run
for a non-compulsory magistracy, given the
revolutionary nature of the position.
• Many modern scholars note that the primary
reason, as suggested by Plutarch, was a desire
to oppose the supposed Pompeian agent
Metellus Nepos* (to recall Pompey to deal with Catilinarians)
• Other reasons?
 Possible reasons for tribuneship*
1. Family* tradition on both the paternal and
maternal side
2. A desire to curry popular favour,
3. The very real power that the tribunate carried
• Cato was already heavily involved in the political
matters of the day, not simply because he was
an ex-questor and furthermore, it appears that
he participated fully in senatorial matters**
 lex frumentaria
• Cato introduced lex frumentaria, lowering the price
of grain, but recognising senatorial approval for his
actions, went through the customary procedure in
proposing and passing his measure
• lex frumentaria has usually been attributed to
senatorial influence, but such legislation was also a
tribunate mainstay in currying favour
• Cato was conscious of how to utilize the tribunate
for popular gain and, furthermore, illustrated that
popular measures could be passed with senatorial
approval!!
 Cato rebuffed Pompey’s offer…

• Cato’s primary aim in the later 60s seems to be a

calculated effort at curtailing the ambitious plans of
prominent individuals, in particular, Pompey
• When Pompey finally returned to Rome in 62 BC, he
immediately dismissed his army and divorced his wife,
Mucia* Half sister of the ex-tribune Metellus Nepos
• Pompey approached Cato, asking to marry one of his
nieces, but Cato rebuffed his offer - a public denial of
amicitia!
 Pompey - further rejections
• Pompey wished to celebrate a triumph and
become a consul for a second time* – the
senate influenced by Cato rejected it - though
willing to approve that initially
• in order to achieve this Pompey needed senate
to suspend the consular elections until after his
triumph
 No land for Pompey’s veterans
• Pomey’s request rebuffed: the ratification of
Eastern acta (settlements) and land for his
veterans
• As could be expected, the optimate Cato held Pompey
in great suspicion from the outset
• a man who showed no consideration for the
established order of the cursus honorum but
succeeded through his military prestige to gain
the consulship in 70, Pompey, the darling of
the Roman people*
 Greedy businessmen
• Another issue before the senate: the request of
the Asian tax collectors (equites/equestrians) to
reduce the amount owed*
• Crassus may have had financial interests in the
matter or he may have been attempting to
increase his influence
• Whatever his motives, the request for the senate
to renegotiate the terms of their contracts
regarding tax collection was outrageous and the
optimates led by Cato refused to consider any
concessions
• Cicero considered the request greedy, but was
 And finally – Caesar’s requests
• Caesar, in Spain as a propraetor during 61 BC, hoped
to return to Rome in 60 and stand for the consulship
for the following year.
• Since he would be unable to celebrate his triumph and
appear in Rome to hand his nomination for
consulship, he wrote to the senate requesting to be
allowed to stand in absentia (in absence)
• Cato and the optimates refused his request, hoping to
force him to abandon his bid for the consulship.
• They believed that Caesar would never give up the
honour of a triumph - but that is exactly what he did
 New generation
• There were definite signs of an increasing shift
in support away from the older boni to a
younger generation.
• Lucullus and Hortensius were now inactive in
senatorial matters and some senatorial figures
active at the beginning of the 60s were dead.
• The new crowd consisted of Cato, his son-in-law,
Bibulus, and his two brothers-in-law, L. Domitius
Ahenobarbus* and the consul for 62, Silanus*
 questions:
idea: Political advancement, corruption and craving for power were
common in the period of The Late Republic.
• Q: Explain what actions taken by Cato against groups and individuals
would be in keeping with the views of optimates. (In a period 63 - 59BC)
[10 marks]

idea: The office of ‘tribune of the plebs’ was not a compulsory rung on
the ladder of the cursus honorum, but was of key importance in the
politics of the 1st century BC.
• Explain the potential reasons why Cato stood as tribune in 62 BC. Consider
the role of the tribune at that time and Cato’s aims and beliefs. [10 marks]

idea: Uncompromising in his conservative beliefs about the central role of

the senate, Cato took every opportunity to oppose personal ambitions of
powerful individuals.
• Q: Explain what actions taken by Cato confirming this point of view.
[10 marks]