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Secondary sourceBookc. 45 BCE

The Conspiracy of Catiline

Sallust · c. 45 BCE

Sallust's history of the Catilinarian conspiracy records Caesar's Senate speech of 63 BC against executing the conspirators.

Records Caesar's Senate speech opposing the execution of the Catilinarian conspirators and compares his character to Cato's.

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Illuminated manuscript title page with the opening text 'CRISPI SALV STIL DE BELLO CATILINAE LIBER INCIPIT' in red and black capitals, surrounded by painted putti, foliage, and an ornate border; a small roundel shows a putto, and a red-bound spine is visible at left.
Sallust, De bello Catilinae, copied by Bartolomeo San Vito for Bernardo Bembo, 1471-84. Vatican Library.

About this source

What it is

A historical monograph by the Roman historian Sallust, written about 45 BC, describing the attempted overthrow of the Roman government by Catiline in 63 BC. It survives in later manuscripts, including an illuminated copy made for Bernardo Bembo in the late 1400s.

Why it matters

Sallust, a supporter of Caesar's faction, includes an account of Caesar's speech in the Senate arguing against executing the conspirators without trial, and famously compares Caesar's character with that of his rival Cato. The work shows how Romans at the time judged Caesar's political choices and character.

Look closer

  • Why might a writer sympathetic to Caesar present him in a particular light?
  • What does Sallust's comparison of Caesar and Cato tell us about Roman ideas of virtue?
  • How reliable is a history written after the events it describes?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Julius Caesar and Cicero on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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