De oratore

About “De oratore”

De Oratore is a dialogue written by Cicero in 55 BC. It is set in 91 BC, the year in which Lucius Licinius Crassus dies. The setting takes place just before the Social War and the civil war between Marius and Sulla, during which Marcus Antonius, another major figure in the dialogue, also dies. The year 91 BC was a time of political turmoil in Rome, marked by violence and street politics. Cicero wrote the work during a difficult period in his own life, following his return from exile in Dyrrachium. His house was destroyed by the gangs of Clodius, reflecting the volatile political climate of the time. (Summary adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.)