LUCIUS SERGIUS CATILINA (74 BC)

In the late Roman Republic, an aristocrat who made an unseccessful attempt to overthrow Cicero´s government (63-62).

He served under Pompeys father in the Social War of 89 was acquitted of charges of fornication with a Vestal Virgin in 73, became praetor in 68, and governed Africa in 67-66.

Because Catiline was under prosecution for extortion, a charge of which he was eventually acquitted, he could not stand for the consulship of 65 or 64. Later there was talk that he had planned to murder the consuls and seize power early in 65, but the fact that M. Licinius Crassus at first supported his candidacy for the consulship of 63 tends to cast doubt on this "first Catilinarian conspiracy". Catiline lost that election to Cicero, and a year later (July 63) was again defeated for the same office.

After those failures he plotted arson in Rome and armed insurrection throughout Italy. Outside Rome most of his support came from Etruria (especially Arretium (Arezzo) and Faesulae (Fiesole) and Campania, largely from veterans of Sulla who had failed to make a living as farmers. In Rome his cause attracted disappointed politicians, debtors, and many discontented young patricians.

Despite the proclamation of martial law (Cicero´s "last decree" Oct 21, 63) and Catiline´s withdrawal from Rome (November 8) after Cicero´s first speech against him, the Senate remained unconvinced of the danger.

On December 3, envoys of the Allobroges tribe (from Galia Narbonensis, in modern France) were arrested with documents that incriminated those conspirators still remaining in Rome. The suspects were arrested and executed on orders from Cicero (december 5).

Catiline, assuming charge of an army at Faesulae, attempted to cross the Apennines into Gaul in January 62 but was engaged by Gaius Antonius Hybrida at Pistoria. Fighting bravely against great odds, Catiline and most of his followers were killed.