In ancient Rome, orators could become like celebrities; many were wealthy and well-respected. Public speaking became a popular form of entertainment and was central to Roman politics.
List This list is in alphabetical order Name Translated name Contents Orator Date References Ad Caesarem Senem de Re Publica OratioSpeech on the State, Addressed to Caesar in His Later YearsSallust discusses Caesar's conquests and wars.Sallust46 BCEAd Litis CensoriasCato the Elder184 BCEM. Tullii Ciceronis Orationes in CatilinamMarcus Tullius Cicero's Orations against CatilineCicero denounces Catiline, who attempted a failed coup against the Roman Republic.Cicero63 BCECato the Elder's speech directed towards the Seleucid kingCato addresses the Seleucid King in Athens.Cato the ElderUncertain dateCato the Younger's speech during the Catiline conspiracyCato the Younger argues for the execution of the Catiline conspirators.Cato the Younger63 BCEContra Servium Galbam pro Direptis LusitanisAgainst Servius Galba for the Lusitanian plundersCato argues that Rome should treat its defeated enemies with moderation.Cato the Elder149 BCEDe Bello CarthaginiensiSpeech written by Cato calling for a war against Carthage.Cato the Elder143 BCEDe Domo SuaOn his HouseCicero discusses grief and sacrificeCicero57 BCEDe Falsis PugnisOn Falsified BattlesSpeech written by Cato against general who sought triumphs for territories they had not conquered through war.Cato the Elder190 BCEDefense speech by Domitius AferDomitius Afer provides a defense for CloatillaDomitius AferUncertain dateDe Haruspicum ResponsisOn the Responses of the HaruspicesCicero discusses the haruspices.Cicero57 BCEDe Lege Agraria contra RullumOpposing the Agrarian Law proposed by RullusCicero argues that a land redistribution bill proposed by Publius Servilius Rullus was of poor qualityCicero63 BCEDe Macedonia LiberandaCato argues that Rome should not annex Macedonia as Rome was incapable of properly defending it.Cato the Elder167 BCEDe Pecuni Regis AntiochiCato's commentary on potential corruption involved in Scipio's triumph due to his campaign in Africa.Cato the ElderUncertain dateDe Praeda militbus dividendaOn the Division of Spoils amongst Military MenSpeech written by Cato the Elder against for the criminalization of generals who take public land.Cato the ElderUncertain dateDe Provinciis ConsularibusOn the Consular ProvincesCicero discusses his tax policyCicero56 BCEDe Suis Virtutibus Contra L. Thermum post censuramConcerning his virtues in Opposition to ThermusCato the Elder attacks the moral character of Lucius Minucius ThermusCato the Elder183 BCEDe Sumpto SuoCato's defense against accusations of corruption.Cato the Elder164 BCEDierum Dictarum de Consulatu SuoSpeech written by Cato in defense of his war against the Spanish tribes.Cato the Elder191-190 BCEDissuasio Legio Junniae De FenerationeCato attacks Quintus Minucius Thermus.Cato the Elder193 BCEDivinatio in CaeciliumAgainst Quintus Caecilius in the process for selecting a prosecutor of Gaius VerresCicero attacks Quintus Caecilius for the prosecutor he chose in the case against Gaius VerresCicero70 BCEAn observation made by Christopher P. Craig, "Dilemma in Cicero's Divinatio in Caecilium", The American Journal of Philology, 106(4) (Winter 1985:442–446), p. 442; Craig gives a bibliography of commentaries on the text.Gaius Licinius Macer Calvus's speech against Publius VatiniusCalvus criticized Vatinius for accepting bribes.Gaius Licinius Macer Calvus54 BCEIn M. Tullium Ciceronem OratioAn Invective against Marcus TulliusSallust criticizes Cicero for his politics and character.SallustUncertain dateIn PisonemAgainst PisoCicero attacks Piso and his administration of MacedoniaCicero55 BCEInterrupted speech by Domitius AferOne of Domitius Afer's speeches was interrupted by the shouts of the crowd.Domitus AferUncertain dateIn Toga CandidaDenouncing candidates for the consulship of 63 BCCicero argues that his opponents Catilina and Antonius would be inefficient Consuls.Cicero64 BCEH.H. Scullard From the Gracchi to Nero: A History of Rome 133 BC to AD 68 2010 p92 "In a speech to the Senate (Oratio in Toga Candida: candidates wore specially whitened togas) Cicero denounced his rivals and hinted that there were secret powers behind Catilinia. Thus Cicero, the novus homo, secured the consulship for 63"Erich S. Gruen The Last Generation of the Roman Republic 1974 270 "Catilinia's early career gained impetus from nimble maneuvering and resourceful and unscrupulous tactics. Tradition registers a catalogue of perversities, several drawn from Cicero's venomous In Toga Candida and the Commentanolum ."David Colin Arthur Shotter The Fall Of The Roman Republic 2005 p55 "In two places — in his own election speech (Oratio in Toga Candida) in 64 and in his Orations against Catiline in the following year — Cicero alleged that on 1 January 65, Catiline was in the Forum with a dagger ready to assassinate the ..."In Vatinium testemAgainst the witness Publius Vatinius at the trial of SestiusCicero's defense of Publius VatiniusCicero56 BCEIn VerremAgainst VerresSeries of speeches made by Cicero against Gaius Verres' conduct in SicilyCicero70 BCELaudatio Iuliae amitaeFuneral oration Julius Caesar gave in honor of his aunt Julia.Julius Caesar68 BCEMark Antony's eulogy for CaesarMark Antony read Caesar's will and listed his accomplishments in an attempt to gain the populace's favor.Mark Antony44 BCE(March 19)PhilippicaeCollection of 14 speeches written by Cicero to denounce Mark Antony.Cicero43 BCECicero, Ad Familiares Appian, Civil Wars 4.19Cicero, Ad Atticus, 2.1.3Cicero, Second Philippic Against Antonycf. Cicero, Ad Atticum 15.13.1Plutarch, Cicero 46.3–5Haskell, H.J.: This was Cicero (1964) p.293Post Reditum in QuiritesTo the Citizens after his recall from exileCicero addresses the citizenry following his exile.Cicero57 BCEPost Reditum in SenatuTo the Senate after his recall from exileCicero addresses the Senate following his exile.Cicero57 BCEPro AntonioIn Defense of Gaius AntoniusCicero's defense of Gaius AntoniusCicero59 BCEPro Archia PoetaIn Defense of Aulus Licinius Archias the poetCicero's defense of Aulus Licinius ArchiasCicero62 BCEItaly and the Classical Tradition: Language, Thought and Poetry 1300-1600, A&C Black, 2013, p. 164.Pro BalboIn Defense of Lucius Cornelius BalbusCicero's defense of Lucius Cornelius BalbusCicero56 BCEPro CaecinaOn behalf of CaecinaCicero's defense of CaecinaCicero69 BCEPro Marco CaelioIn Defense of Marcus Caelius RufusCicero's defense of Marcus Caelius RufusCicero56 BCEPro Aulo Cluentio HabitoOn behalf of Aulus Cluentius HabitoCicero's defense of Aulus Cluentius Habito, who was accused of poisoning Oppianicus the elderCicero56 BCEPro FlaccoIn Defense of Lucius Valerius FlaccusCicero's defense of Lucius Valerius FlaccusCicero59 BCEPro FonteioOn behalf of Marcus FonteiusCicero's defense of Marcus FonteiusCicero69 BCEPro LigarioOn behalf of Ligarius before CaesarCicero's defense of LigariusCicero46 BCEPro Lege Manilia or De Imperio Cn. PompeiIn favor of the Lex Manilia, or On the command of PompeyCicero argues for the Lex ManiliaCicero66 BCEPro TullioOn behalf of TulliusCicero's defense of his client Marcus Tullius in a property disputeCicero57 BCEPro Rhodiensibus, Contra Servium GalbamOn Behalf of the Rhodians and Against GalbaIt argues against a call for a war against Rhodes after the Third Macedonian War.Cato the Elder167 BCEPro Rege DeiotaroOn behalf of King Deiotarus before CaesarCicero's defense of DeiotarusCicero46 BCEPro Roscio AmerinoIn defence of Sextus Roscius of AmeriaCicero's speech in defense of Sextus Roscius, accused of murdering his own fatherCicero80 BCEPro MarcelloOn behalf of MarcellusCicero's defense of MarcellusCicero46 BCEPro MiloneIn Defence of Titus Annius MiloCicero's defense of Titus Milo, who was accused of murdering Clodius.Cicero52 BCEPro MurenaIn Defense of Lucius Licinius MurenaCicero's defense of Lucius Licinius MurenaCicero63 BCEPro PlancioIn Defense of Gnaeus PlanciusCicero's defense of Gnaeus PlanciusCicero54 BCEPro Q. Roscio ComoedoIn Defense of Quintus Roscius Gallus the Comic actorCicero's defense of Quintus Roscius Gallus, a comic actorCicero77 BCEPro QuinctioOn behalf of Publius QuinctiusCicero's speech in defense of his client Publius QuinctiusCicero81 BCEC. D. Yonge, The Orations of Marcus Tullius Cicero, Vol. 1., London, 1856; Johannes Platschek, Studien zu Ciceros Rede für P. Quinctius (Munich, 2005)Pro Rabirio Perduellionis ReoOn behalf of Gaius Rabirius, accused of treasonCicero's defense of Gaius RabiriusCicero63 BCEPro Rabirio PostumoIn Defense of Gaius Rabirius PostumusCicero's defense of Gaius Rabirius PostumusCicero54 BCEMarcus Tullius Cicero Cicero's Speech Pro Rabirio Postumo. Oxford University Press, 2001Pro ScauroIn Defense of Marcus Aemilius ScaurusCicero's defense of Marcus Aemilius ScaurusCicero54 BCEPro SestioIn Defense of Publius SestiusCicero's defense of Publius SestiusCicero56 BCE2006. Kaster, R.A. Cicero: Speech on Behalf of Publius Sestius. Oxford University Press.Pro SullaIn Defense of Publius Cornelius SullaCicero's defense of Publius Cornelius SullaCicero72 or 71 BCEPro Voluseno CatuloConcerning Lucius Volusenus CatulusDomitius Afer, Passienus Crispus, and Decimus Laelius Balbus defend Catulus in a trialDecimus LaeliusReign of ClaudiusRutledge, Imperial Inquisitions, p. 243P. Vatinium testem interrogatioCicero critiqued the character of Publius VatiniusCicero56 BCEUti praeda in publicum referaturThat the spoils of war should be given back to the publicSpeech written by Cato arguing that religious works should be publicly available and not held in private collections.Cato the ElderUncertain dateSpeech by Gaius Calpurnius Piso against Domitius AferPiso attacked Domitius Afer's character.Gaius Calpurnius PisoUncertain dateSpeeches by Gaius Septimius Severus Aper against poetsAper critiques Maternus.AperUncertain dateSpeech by Julius AfricanusJulius Africanus made a purposefully long speech during a trial.Julius AfricanusUncertain dateSpeech by Maternus responding to Aper's critiqueMaternus responded to Aper's speech criticizing him.MaternusUncertain dateSpeech spoken by Quintus HortensiusQuintus Hortensius praises his successful military defense of Nicomedes IV of BithyniaQuintus Hortensius133 BCESi se M. Caelius Tribunnus AppellassetCato the Elder184 BCEOn the Improper Election of the AedilesCollection of speeches written by Cato, all of which were made during his Consulship.Cato202 BCEOn His ConsulshipCicero's retrospect on his Consulship and several speeches he made whilst Censor.Cicero202 BCE
See also List of speeches List of Latin phrases (full) Orator
Notes
References
External links Roman Sources - Speeches, Political and Rhetorical Works on Librarium - Database of Online Ancient Sources