In the first century BCE, Marcus Tullius Cicero, orator, statesman, and defender of republican values, created these philosophical treatises on such diverse topics as friendship, religion, death, fate and scientific inquiry. A pragmatist at heart, Cicero's philosophies were frequently personal and ethical, drawn not from abstract reasoning but through careful observation of the world. The resulting works remind us of the importance of social ties, the questions of free will, and the justification of any creative endeavour. This lively, lucid new translation from Thomas Habinek, editor of Classical Antiquity and the Classics and Contemporary Thought book series, makes Cicero's influential ideas accessible to every reader. This edition also includes additional materials by Siobhan McElduff.

A new and original anthology that introduces the key writings on rhetoric in the classical world, from Aristotle to Cicero and beyond. Classical rhetoric is one of the earliest versions of what is today known as media studies. It was absolutely crucial to life in the ancient world, whether in the courtroom, the legislature or on ceremonial occasions, and was described as either the art of persuasion or the art of speaking well. This anthology, edited by Thomas Habinek, brings together all the most important ancient writings on rhetoric, including works by Cicero, Aristotle, Quintilian and Philostratus. Ranging across such themes as memory, persuasion, delivery and style, it provides a fascinating introduction to classical rhetoric and will be an invaluable sourcebook for students of the ancient world.

This book places culture centre-stage in the investigation of the transformation of Rome from Republic to Empire. It is the first book to attempt to understand the so-called Roman Revolution as a cultural phenomenon. Instead of regarding cultural changes as dependent on political developments, the essays consider literary, artistic, and political changes as manifestations of a basic transformation of Roman culture. In Part I the international group of contributors discusses the changes in the cultural systems under the topics of authority, gender and sexuality, status and space in the city of Rome, and in Part II through specific texts and artifacts as they refract social, political, and economic changes. The essays draw on the latest methods in literary and cultural work to present a holistic approach to the Augustan Cultural Revolution.

This book is a multidisciplinary attempt to understand the Roman Revolution as a cultural phenomenon. Contributors draw on the latest approaches in literary and cultural studies to integrate literature, art and history into a new account of Roman culture during the transition from Republic to Empire. In Part I the changes in cultural systems are discussed under the topics of authority, gender and sexuality, status and space in the city of Rome, and in Part II texts and artifacts are shown to refract social, political and economic changes.