Cicero and His Rise Up The Cursus Honorum

Cicero started with a disadvantage in politics because he was an [blank_start]Equites[blank_end] or in the middle class. Due to this he did not have the [blank_start]patron/client network[blank_end] which allowed the other senators to gain votes. The [blank_start]patron/client network[blank_end] was when the rich upper class helped the poor during hard times by giving food or money, this then ensured that the client was loyal to the patron who could then [blank_start]count on their vote[blank_end] or voted for who they were told to vote for. Cicero was [blank_start]not part of this patron/client network[blank_end]. Also for the past 100 years [blank_start]20 families had ruled Rome[blank_end] and Cicero was not in one of these families. These Optimates made sure that getting into politics outside of these families was virtually impossible, when Cicero did get in he was [blank_start]labeled as a new man[blank_end], meaning that he is the first person [blank_start]in his family to enter the senate[blank_end]..

Cicero made his speech against Verres in 80 BC

In what year was he made Aedile?

Cicero was made: [blank_start]Quaestor[blank_end] in [blank_start]75 BC[blank_end] and was stationed in [blank_start]Sicily.[blank_end] [blank_start]Aedile[blank_end] in [blank_start]69 BC[blank_end] where he got [blank_start]cheap grain from Sicily[blank_end] which [blank_start]lowered the price of bread[blank_end] in Rome. [blank_start]Praetor[blank_end] in [blank_start]66 BC[blank_end] and he got [blank_start]more votes than any other candidate[blank_end]. During this time he also got [blank_start]Pompey the command job in Asia[blank_end] [blank_start]Consul[blank_end] in [blank_start]63 BC[blank_end] when he defeated the [blank_start]revolutionist Catiline[blank_end] and [blank_start]prevented him from taking over Rome[blank_end].

What were the reasons that Pompey didn't like Cicero when he returned from Asia?

What was the Concordia Ordinum?

What did the Concordia Ordinum do and when was it created?

The Bona Dea Trial in [blank_start]62 BC[blank_end] surrounded a man named [blank_start]Clodius[blank_end] who was generally believed to be a mad man. He was in the top 20 families as held prestige in the senate as 12 generations had been consul and he was aligned [blank_start]Pompey[blank_end]. Bona Dea or Good Goddess was the goddess of [blank_start]Women and Healing[blank_end] and to be worshiped by females only. She was also responsible for the [blank_start]protection of Rome[blank_end] so her festival was extremely important. Clodius however disguised himself as a female and got into the temple, however he was discovered and tried in a court where the judges were [blank_start]equites[blank_end]. [blank_start]Cicero[blank_end] himself gave evidence against Clodius and was able to prove that he was in Rome during the time of the festival. He was [blank_start]acquitted[blank_end] due to the [blank_start]high levels of bribery[blank_end] running throughout the court and every one knew what had happened. This was the [blank_start]end of the Concordia Ordinum.[blank_end]

What did the populares want?

What side of the senate was Cicero on?