Second Catilinarian conspiracy

Quick Facts: Who was Second Catilinarian conspiracy?

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Second Catilinarian conspiracy

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Attempted coup d'état in the Roman Republic by Catiline to seize state control.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Catilinarian conspiracy, sometimes Second Catilinarian conspiracy, was an attempted coup d'état by Lucius Sergius Catilina (Catiline) to overthrow the Roman consuls of 63 BC – Marcus Tullius Cicero and Gaius Antonius Hybrida – and forcibly assume control of the state in their stead. The conspiracy was formed after Catiline's defeat in the consular elections for 62, held in early autumn 63. He assembled a coalition of malcontents – aristocrats who had been denied political advancement by the voters, dispossessed farmers, and indebted veterans of Sulla – and planned to seize the consulship from Cicero and Antonius by force. In November 63, Cicero exposed the conspiracy, causing Catiline to flee from Rome and eventually to his army in Etruria. In December, Cicero uncovered nine more conspirators organising for Catiline in the city; on advice of the senate, he had them executed without trial.

Career & Major Achievements

In early January 62 BC, Antonius defeated Catiline in battle, putting an end to the plot. Modern views on the conspiracy vary. It is well accepted that the ancient sources were heavily biased against Catiline and demonised him in the aftermath of his defeat. The extent of the exaggeration is unclear and still debated. Most classicists agree that the conspiracy occurred more or less as described – rather than being a manipulative invention of Cicero's – but concede that its actual threat to the republic was exaggerated for Cicero's benefit and to heighten later dramatic narratives.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Catiline's conspiracy was a major armed insurrection against Rome, like Sulla's civil war that preceded it (83–81 BC) and Caesar's civil war (49–45 BC) that followed it. The main sources on it are both hostile: Sallust's monograph Bellum Catilinae and Cicero's Catilinarian orations. Catiline, before the conspiracy, had been complicit in the Sullan regime. While no member of his family had held the consulship since the fifth century BC, he had strong connections to the aristocracy and was both a nobilis and a patrician. Catiline was prosecuted in 65 and 64 BC for various crimes but was acquitted after several former consuls spoke in his defence.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Second Catilinarian conspiracy

True or False: “The primary motivation for the conspiracy was solely the desire of dispossessed farmers to achieve land reform.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While economic distress was a factor, scholars emphasize that unmet political ambitions and aristocratic resentment were indispensable motivations alongside financial woes.

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