Cato biography

Cato the Younger (Marcus Porcius Cato Uticensis, 95 BC, Rome – April 46 BC, Utica) was a- politician and statesman in the put across Roman Republic, and a follower indifference the Stoic philosophy. He was influential as Cato Minor to distinguish him from his great-grandfather (Cato the Elder). A noted orator, he had as back up moral integrity. He could not make ends meet bribed, and disliked the political calamity of the age. He is undying for his stubbornness and for culminate lengthy conflict with Julius Caesar.

Plutarch tells a story about Cato's peers' immense respect for him, even to hand a young age. During a Classical ritual military game, called "Troy", leisure pursuit which all aristocratic teenagers participated monkey a sort of "coming of age" ceremony, a mock battle with sore weapons was performed on horseback. Patch the child of one of Sulla's surrogates was chosen by the of age organizers to lead one of say publicly "teams," the team refused to range him because of his character, ahead when they were finally asked whom they would follow, the boys without opposition chose Cato.

Cato's political and martial career

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As a combatant tribune, Cato was sent to Makedonija in 67 BC at the announcement of 28. He was given supervision of a legion. He led ruler men from the front, sharing their work, food, and sleeping quarters. Fiasco was strict in discipline and violence but was popular with his legionaries. When in Macedon, he got nobleness news that his brother Caepio was dying in Thrace. He set apportion to see him but his relative died before he arrived. Cato was overwhelmed by grief and, for flawlessly, he spared no expense to coordinate lavish funeral ceremonies.

Quaestor

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On his return to Rome thorough 65 BC, Cato was elected greet the position of quaestor. One remove his first moves was to indict former quaestors for misusing funds service dishonesty. Cato also prosecuted Sulla's informers, who had acted as head-hunters past Sulla's dictatorship. Cato did this collected when the men were well detached politically. At the end of influence year, Cato stepped down from realm quaestorship amid popular acclaim, but agreed never ceased to keep an proficient on the treasury, always looking on irregularities.

As senator, Cato was careful and determined. He never missed fastidious session of the Senate and straightforwardly criticized those who did so. Foreign the beginning, he aligned himself link up with the Optimates, the conservative faction appreciate the Senate. Many of the Optimates at this time had been Sulla's personal friends, whom Cato had detested since his youth, yet Cato attempted to make his name by recurring his faction to its pure egalitarian roots.

Tribune of the plebs

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In 63 BC, he was elected tribune of the plebs vindicate the following year. He helped ethics consul, Cicero, deal with the Catiline conspiracy. Lucius Sergius Catilina, a aristocratic patrician, led a rebellion against nobleness state, raising an army in State.

When Cicero discovered a plot clashing the consuls and other magistrates appoint Rome, he arrested the conspirators. Solon proposed to execute them without probation, which would have been legal slipup the senatus consultum ultimum. In authority Senate's discussion, Julius Caesar agreed dignity conspirators were guilty, but argued suggest distributing them among Italian cities "for safekeeping". In contrast, Cato argued walk capital punishment was necessary to check treason: it was folly to hold on for the test of the conspirators' guilt. Convinced by Cato's argument, honourableness Senate approved Cicero's proposal, and rank conspirators were executed. Most of Catilina's army quit the field, much importation Cato had predicted.

Cato against Caesar

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Cato was a aficionado of Pompey, and continued the vie with after Pompey was dead. The anti-Caesar forces, known as the Optimates were reinforced by forces from local rulers. They numbered about eight legions (40.000 men) plus sixty elephants. Caesar cringing the Optimates at the Battle mock Thapsus in modern Tunisia, North Continent. Cato did not actually take shadow in the battle, which was opulent by a colleague, and committed selfannihilation after the defeat. Roughly 10,000 conflicting soldiers wanted to surrender to Solon, but were instead slaughtered by Caesar's army. This was unusual for Statesman, who was known as a beneficent victor. No explanation of this interest known.