Life and career Sallust

gardens of sallust

sallust born in amiternum in central italy, though eduard schwartz takes view sallust s birthplace rome. birth date calculated report of jerome s chronicon. new zealander ronald syme suggests jerome s date has adjusted because of carelessness, , suggests 87 bc more correct date. however, sallust s birth dated @ 86 bc, , kleine pauly encyclopedia takes 1 october 86 bc birthdate. michael grant cautiously offers 80s bc.

there no information sallust s parents or family, except tacitus mention of sister. sallustii provincial noble family of sabine origin. belonged equestrian order , had full roman citizenship. during social war sallust’s parents hid in rome, because amiternum under threat of siege rebelling italic tribes. because of sallust have been raised in rome received education.

after ill-spent youth, sallust entered public life , may have won election quaestor in 55 bc. however, there no conclusive evidence this, , scholars suppose sallust did not become quaestor — practice of violating cursus honorum common in last years of republic. became tribune of plebs in 52 bc, year in followers of milo killed clodius in street brawl. sallust supported prosecution of milo. sallust, titus munatius plancus , quintus pompeius rufus tried blame cicero, 1 of leaders of senators opposition triumvirate, support of milo. syme suggests sallust, because of position in milo s trial, did not support caesar. t. mommsen states sallust acted in pompey s interests (according mommsen, pompey preparing install own dictatorship).

according 1 inscription, sallustius (with unclear praenomen) proquaestor in syria in 50 bc under marcus calpurnius bibulus. mommsen identified sallustius sallust historian, though t. r. s. broughton argued sallust historian not have been assistant julius caesar s adversary.

from beginning of public career, sallust operated decided partisan of julius caesar, whom owed such political advancement attained. in 50 bc, censor appius claudius pulcher removed him senate on grounds of gross immorality (probably because of opposition milo , cicero). in following year, perhaps through caesar s influence, reinstated.

during civil war of 49–45 bc sallust acted caesar s partisan, role not significant, name not mentioned in dictator s commentarii de bello civili. reported sallust dined caesar, hirtius, oppius, balbus , sulpicius rufus on night after caesar s famous crossing of rubicon river italy on 10 january. in 49 bc sallust moved illyricum , commanded @ least 1 legion there after failure of publius cornelius dolabella , gaius antonius. campaign unsuccessful. in 48 bc made quaestor caesar re-enter senate. however, last statement based on invective against sallust ascribed cicero, later forgery. in late summer 47 bc group of soldiers rebelled near rome, demanding discharge , payment service. sallust, praetor designatus, several other senators, sent persuade soldiers, rebels killed 2 senators, , sallust narrowly escaped death. in 46 bc, served praetor , accompanied caesar in african campaign, ended in decisive defeat of remains of pompeian war party @ thapsus. sallust did not participate in military operations directly, commanded several ships , organized supply through kerkennah islands. reward services, sallust appointed governor of province of africa nova — not clear why: sallust not skilled general, , province militarily significant, 3 legions deployed there. moreover, successors governor experienced military men. however, sallust managed organization of supply , transportation, , these qualities have determined caesar s choice. governor committed such oppression , extortion caesar s influence enabled him escape condemnation. on return rome purchased , began laying out in great splendour famous gardens on quirinal known horti sallustiani or gardens of sallust. these gardens later belong emperors.

sallust retired public life , devoted himself historical literature, , further developed gardens, upon spent of accumulated wealth. according hieronymus stridonensis, sallust later became second husband of cicero s ex-wife terentia. prominent scholars of roman prosopography such ronald syme refute legend.