Making Enemies - The Logic of Immorality in Ciceronian Oratory

My PhD-thesis deals with the interaction between immorality and Roman Political Culture during the late Republic. Through the speeches of Cicero, the thesis traces the cultural logic and political relevance behind arguments of immorality and accusations of immoral behavior and character.

During the last century of the Roman Republic the political climate grew ever fiercer. In their struggle for gloria, the elite competed against each other on the arenas of the political culture; the Senate floor, the trials, and before the people. In these duels, politicians aimed at undermining the position of their adversaries through verbal attack. Family, appearance, sexuality and most of all, morality constituted themes of such speeches. Portraying your enemy as Un-Roman and as a threat to Rome could exclude him from society. One of the most prolific politicians on these arenas was Marcus Tullius Cicero.

This thesis deals with the political significance of the portraits that Cicero painted of his enemies and his use of immorality as a political argument.