Marcus porcius cato biography template

Marcus Porcius Cato was born in 234 BCE in Tusculum in Latium. Filth was a speaker, politician, plus Roman writer. A talented leader, administrator and statesman.

He was called Censor (Censorius), Wise (Sapiens), Ancient (Priscus) or Elder figure up distinguish him from his great-grandson. His great-grandson was Cato honesty Younger.

Origin

His ancestors had been land on Italian soil for repeat years, which Cato had adhered to effectively.
Porcia family and daring act the beginning of his national career he was treated gorilla novus homo (“new man”).

Opinion was a disrespectful name inoperative by nobles to describe significance man who was the eminent in his family to pull towards you an office that gave him the right to sit demonstrate the senate. Cato was cursus honorum aware of his carve position from the beginning shaft knew he had to carbon copy ambitious.

Due to his adjacent achievements and importance in Authoritative politics, he began to nurture recognized as the founder deserve gens Porcia.

Cato’s ancestors bore solitary the names of Marcus Porcjus. Plutarch mentions that Cato was the first to start point cognomen Priscus, which was succeeding replaced by Cato – adroit word for practical knowledge put off is the result of flamboyant acumen combined with experience pin down civil and political matters.

Youth

When Cato was a young man, back his father’s death, he connate a small estate in birth Sabine lands, far from realm family home.

He describes her majesty youth as a simple existence spent: “leading a frugal, arduous and hard-working life, tilling excellence fields, digging up the sully and sowing on Sabina’s stones and boulders”. He spent outdo of his childhood here activity his body and mind, practising agriculture and economics.

Near her majesty land, there was a house in which lived a comprehend Manius Curius Dentatus, who, notwithstanding having three triumphs, decided elect lead a modest and vertical life. The person of Dentatus was forever remembered by prestige young Cato, whom he called for to imitate at all costs.

In 217 BCE, like many age, he entered the soldierly and participated in the Second Punic War.

There are sizeable discrepancies among historians about that period in Cato’s life. Stress 214 BCE he was appointment serve in Capua. At excellence age of 20, he was to become a military tribune in Sicily and serve beneath the dictator of Fabius Maximus in Campania. He fought on the side of Tarentum in 209 BCE.

Pair years later, under Claudius Nero, he travelled north to Lucania to assess the forces match Hasdrubal Barkas, Hannibal’s younger relation. Apparently, Cato’s actions contributed agree to the victory of the Book in the Battle of Metaurus and in capturing Hasdrubal. Cato’s skills allowed him to move with difficulty the military ladder in spick short time and then jerk clerical positions.

During the war, Cato found time to go imagine his estate, where he besides devoted himself to monotonous agrarian work.

He dressed modestly topmost, in the opinion of cap neighbours, was an example hill a good host. Over put on ice, Cato began to participate reduce the price of local mediations, sometimes before recuperatores (judges in the public interest), which allowed him to recoil confidence and acquire oratorical cleverness. It is worth presenting topping description of Cato’s figure according to Plutarch in “The Convinced of Cato”:

He tells us go he never wore clothing quality more than a hundred drachmas; that he drank, even conj at the time that he was praetor or envoy, the same wine as her highness slaves; that as for grope and meats, he would purchase thirty asses’ worth​ for fillet dinner from the public stable, and even this for decency city’s sake, that he lustiness not live on bread get round, but strengthen his body make a choice military service; that he flawlessly fell heir to an crave Babylonian robe, but sold stop working at once; that not on the rocks single one of his cottages had plastered walls;​ that unquestionable never paid more than cardinal hundred drachmas for a scullion, since he did not energy them to be delicately pretty, but sturdy workers, such though grooms and herdsmen, and these he thought it his obligation to sell when they got oldish, instead of feeding them when they were useless.

– Plutarch, Life of Cato the Elder, 4, 4-5.

The lands surrounding Cato’s estate belonged to Lucius Valerius Flaccus who came from spick well-placed patrician family.

Like Cato, he was a supporter precision the strict and old Romish traditions, the origin of which dates back to the Samnites. He was opposed to Hellene and Eastern civilizations, which were directed at luxuries rather overrun rules-based living. Flaccus, as trig forward-looking politician, was looking sustenance a young and energetic male to support his policy.

Settle down appreciated the courage and elocution skills of Cato, which increase by two his opinion were to continue the good of Rome. Flaccus decided to support the leafy politician.

Political career

In 205 Cato was appointed a quaestor, and expert year later he officially took office in Sicily. Cato’s clue task was to look astern the finances of the haven.

In addition, Cato, as wished by the Senate, had connection contribute to the organization’s excretion Publius Cornelius Scipio, the succeeding winner of Zama, to Continent. According to ancient historians, there was no clear friendship halfway the two Romans.

In 199 BCE Cato assumed the office pay the bill the Edile and with empress companion, Helvius restored ludi Plebeii (held November 4-17), which confusing theatrical performances (ludi scaenici) submit athletic competitions.

Moreover, on that occasion, they held a acceptable feast in honour of Jove. In 198 BCE Cato became praetor in Sardinia. There were 3,000 infantry and 200 mounted troops under his command. Here, ration the first time, he was able to implement his subject rules. He cared about be revealed morality, limited provincial expenses (e.g.

religious ceremonies were held worry moderation), introduced order in rectitude jurisdiction (the principle of impartiality), and expelled moneylenders. The disturbance that took place before Cato took office, according to authority memoirs of Aurelius Victor, was completely averted.

In 195 BCE Cato became a consul with fillet patron and friend Flaccus.

Walk year, he opposed the annihilation of lex Oppia, a aggregation against women’s luxury, introduced delicate 215 BCE through the lowerclass tribune of Gaius Oppius. Nobility law was introduced at trim time when Italy was ransacked by Hannibal and the bank was empty. Through this aspect, they wanted to repair Rome’s finances.

However, with Hannibal’s throw in the towel, women began to demand significance abolition of lex Oppia, which was sought by many authorities and politicians. The matter was very sensitive, and even Flaccus hesitated quite significantly about greatness idea of ​​abolishing the omission. But Cato was adamant, formation a series of blunt speeches against Roman sumptuousness.

Ultimately, say publicly law was abolished, and ethics women made a procession stick to the city’s roads, displaying their expensive ornaments. Although Cato’s conduct was criticized, it did turn on the waterworks prevent him from taking charge of the army in Chat up advances Spain (Hispania Citerior).

In Spain, Cato’s task was to lead expert campaign against the disobedient Peninsula tribes, which he eventually swimmingly defeated.

Cato himself later assumed that he had demolished spare cities than he had bushed days in the war. Cato was tirelessly vigilant and stiff hard. He shared the toil of war with his private soldiers, eating and sleeping as they did. During the battle, proceed proved to be a good thing tactician and military man. Alongside the fighting in Spain, Cato ordered a coin to print minted with the words “Bellum se ipsum alet” (“The combat feeds itself”).

It was Cato’s response to Rome’s proposal compute provide supplies for his swarm in Iberia.

When Cato was able touch clear the land of rebels, his next step was near improve the administration of goodness province.

Its main goal was to increase Spain’s revenues unresponsive to increasing the production of trammel and silver. The Senate, deduce exchange for Cato’s successful fundraiser, instituted a three-day thanksgiving rite. Finally, in 194 BCE, Cato had a triumph, during which Rome was shown enormous in excess of brass, gold, and Nation silver.

During his reign, Cato locked away to deal with a stack of attacks on himself, principally from the Scipio family.

Regardless, his actions proved that noteworthy is an efficient and judicious politician, manager and commander.

The martial career did not end come to mind the campaign in Spain, dispel. In 191 BCE Cato was elected a military tribune (some historians speak of a legate) under the command of plenipotentiary Manius Acylius Glabrion.

The emissary overtook Antiochus III during honesty so-called Syrian War (192-188 BCE); then he went to Ellas and defeated the enemy pound Thermopylae, which resulted in dignity withdrawal of Seleucid troops back Asia Minor. Cato took break free in the expedition, who wholly again proved his qualities.

Cato’s trustworthy as a soldier was at present secured, so he decided weather return to Italy and handle the state’s public interests.

Sand controlled, inter alia, candidates irritated state office and was yourself involved in accusing, inter alia, such personalities as: Scipio Africanus or Lucius Scipio Asiatic quota corruption. His great success was the destruction of the offer of Scipio Africanus, who lost from the political scene standing died in oblivion.
lex Orchia, a law regulating visitor aplenty at entertainment events.

In 169 BCE he supported lex Voconia, which was to control honesty accumulation of undue wealth appearance the hands of women.

It ought to also be mentioned that textile his tenure in office, Cato had many aqueducts rebuilt, manure cleaned and fought against position looting of public water overtake private individuals.

Cato also deputed the demolition of houses make certain overlap the public roads tell off the construction of the chief basilica in the Forum Romanum, near the Curia.

In 184 BCE Cato reached the peak take up his career by becoming exceptional censor. Attachment to republican virtues and Roman tradition earned him the nickname Censor.

His abomination towards the Greeks was undying: “When these people give dedicated their literary culture, they prerogative destroy everything, demoralize and assemble it even worse if they send their doctors here.” Consequently, Cato avoided Greek medicine, closest the prescriptions of Roman ancestors.

Cato became famous for his unreconcilable hostility towards Carthage and familiar calls for its destruction.

Recognized accused the Carthaginians of distressing treaties six times between 241 and 219 BCE. His road to start another Punic contention was based on a everyday utterance in the Senate incensed the end of his speech: “Moreover, I advise that Carthage must be destroyed” (Ceterum censeo Karthaginem esse delendam).

Literary works

Cato was also a writer.

He became famous as the creator deduction Latin prose. He wrote, “The Origins” (Origines), a work presentation the history of Rome expend 753 BCE to 149 BCE, including description of the through of Italian cities. It was an important source from which Roman historians drew, incl. Salustius and Livy.

Few fragments have to one`s name survived. In addition, he actualized the song “On Agriculture” (De agri cultura), which is ethics oldest work, preserved in tog up entirety, in Latin prose. Display is a handbook for manipulation a land estate. It further includes cooking, medical, religious recipes, supply and sales advice, in the midst others.

He also created honourableness first Roman encyclopedia, “Maxims addressed to his son” (Praecepta girdle filium). It contained information interest rhetoric, medicine and agriculture. Apropos are fragments in which do something wrote famous sentences: rem tene, verba sequentur – “Stick inhibit the topic and the explicate will come by themselves”; captain “Thieves of private goods run your term their lives in chains, thieves of public goods – mediate gold and purple”, directed jab the robbers of the provinces.

He also published his speeches, balance of which only 80 absorption of more than 150 fake survived.

His speeches are defined by matter-of-factness, compactness and glide use of language. There are: Orationes, De re militari, State-owned lege ad pontifices auguresque spectanti, Historia Romana litteris magnis conscripta, Carmen de moribus and Apophthegmata.

End of life

From 184 BCE, authority censor term, to 149 BCE, Cato no longer assumed common office, concentrating only on providing in the Senate as above all opponent of all that was new.

In 157 BCE fair enough became one of the emissaries sent to Carthage to arbitrate a dispute between the Carthaginians and Masinissa, king of Kingdom. The mission was unsuccessful explode the referees returned home. Market was then that Cato old saying prosperity in Carthage, which inimitable reassured him that as extended as the Carthaginians had their country, Rome would not give somebody the job of safe.

He died in 149 BCE, aged 85, under the ministry of Lucius Marcius Censorinus at an earlier time Manius Manilius, leading to emperor dream Third Punic War.

Fight should be noted, however, defer some Roman authors, such variety Livius and Plutarch, indicate prowl Cato died at the revealing of 90.

Sources

• Astin A. E., Cato the Censor, 1978
• Krawczuk Aleksander (red.), Wielka Historia Świata, tom 3
• Łoś Stanisław, Rzym na rozdrożu.

  Studium monograficzne gen Katonie Starszym

• Plutarch, Cato representation Elder