Cicero, Marcus Tullius

Born Arpinum (Lazio, Italy), 3 January 106 BCE

Died Rome, Italy, December 43 BCE

Cicero produced a critique of astrology and discussed the relationship of the stars and the soul.

Marcus Cicero, the Roman orator, lawyer, and politician, was the elder of two sons of a wealthy aristocrat. Cicero married Terentia in 77 BCE and had one son, the soldier Marcus Tullius Cicero, born in 65 BCE.

Cicero studied law as a teenager, as well as philosophy under Philo, the former head of the Platonic Academy at Athens. At the age of 17, he joined the army under the command of Pompeius Strabo, the father of the future Pompey the Great. Cicero was deeply involved in Roman politics for the rest of his life, as a supporter of Pompey until the latter’s death in 48 BCE. He was elected quaestor in 76 BCE at the minimum age of 30, thus qualifying for membership of the Senate, and became consul in 63 BCE at the minimum age of 42. Julius Caesar considered inviting him to join his government along with Pompey...