Cicero's Republic

As one of the only texts that articulates a "Roman" political philosophy, Cicero's De Re Publica is indispensible for students with an interest in Roman history or classical political thought. In this class, we will address the text from both these perspectives; but we will also read it as a work of literature that remakes the genre conventions of the Platonic dialogue for a Roman readership. We will also address the complex relationship between the text of De Re Publica and the troubled times in which it was written.