# Catiline

> Roman politician, senator and soldier (c.108–62 BC)

**Wikidata**: [Q75826](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q75826)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catiline)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/catiline

## Summary

Catiline, born Lucius Sergius Catilina, was a Roman politician, senator, and soldier who lived from approximately 108 BC to January 62 BC. A citizen of Ancient Rome, he is best known as the target of the Catiline Orations, a set of speeches delivered by Marcus Tullius Cicero in 63 BC. His political career and the conspiracy associated with his name have made him a central figure in the study of the late Roman Republic.

## Biography

- **Born:** c. 108 BC (dated approximately to 108 BC based on available records)
- **Nationality:** Ancient Rome (a civilization that began growing on the Italian Peninsula from the 8th century BC, traditionally dated to its inception in 753 BC)
- **Known for:** Being the subject of Cicero's Catiline Orations; political activities in the late Roman Republic
- **Field(s):** Politics, military service
- **Occupation:** Politician, senator, soldier
- **Full Name:** Lucius Sergius Catilina
- **Also Known As:** Catilina
- **Died:** January 62 BC
- **Species:** Human (*Homo sapiens*)

## Contributions

Catiline's primary legacy is tied to the Catiline Orations, a set of speeches given by Marcus Tullius Cicero in 63 BC. These orations, delivered in the Roman Senate, were direct denunciations of Catiline and represent some of the most famous rhetorical works of antiquity. The speeches, which began in 63 BC, have been preserved as landmark examples of political oratory and have influenced rhetorical education and political discourse for over two millennia.

The painting "Cicero Denounces Catiline in the Roman Senate" by Cesare Maccari visually depicts this historic confrontation, with a surviving detail image of Catiline captured in the artwork.

## FAQs

**Who was Catiline?**
Catiline, whose full name was Lucius Sergius Catilina, was a Roman politician, senator, and soldier who lived during the late Roman Republic, approximately from 108 BC to January 62 BC.

**What is Catiline famous for?**
He is primarily known as the target of the Catiline Orations, a series of speeches delivered by the Roman statesman and orator Marcus Tullius Cicero in 63 BC, in which Cicero denounced Catiline before the Roman Senate.

**What was Catiline's role in Roman society?**
Catiline served as both a senator and a soldier within the structure of Ancient Rome, actively seeking and holding positions in the Roman government as a politician.

**When did Catiline live and die?**
He was born around 108 BC and died in January 62 BC, living his entire life within the period of the Roman Republic before its transition to the Roman Empire.

## Why They Matter

Catiline's historical significance stems from his role as the antagonist in one of the most documented political confrontations of the Roman Republic. The Catiline Orations delivered by Cicero in 63 BC represent a pivotal moment in Roman political history, showcasing the power of rhetoric in governance and the tensions within the late Republic. These speeches have been studied as masterworks of oratory and political strategy from antiquity through the modern era.

The confrontation between Cicero and Catiline illuminates the political instability of the late Roman Republic, a period marked by power struggles that would eventually lead to the Republic's collapse. The Catiline Orations, beginning in 63 BC, have served as educational texts in rhetoric and Latin language instruction for centuries, shaping the understanding of political speech and democratic governance. Cicero's denunciation, dramatized in Cesare Maccari's famous painting, has become an iconic representation of political accountability and the power of words in public life.

## Notable For

- Roman senator, politician, and soldier during the late Republic
- Subject of the Catiline Orations by Marcus Tullius Cicero (63 BC)
- Central figure in one of the most famous political confrontations in Roman history
- Citizen of Ancient Rome, a civilization originating in 753 BC on the Italian Peninsula
- Depicted in Cesare Maccari's painting "Cicero Denounces Catiline in the Roman Senate"
- Associated with 52 sitelinks across knowledge platforms, indicating broad historical coverage

## Body

### Early Life and Background

Lucius Sergius Catilina, commonly known as Catiline, was born approximately in 108 BC. He was a human, a member of *Homo sapiens*, and a citizen of Ancient Rome — a powerful civilization that began growing on the Italian Peninsula from the 8th century BC, with its inception traditionally dated to 753 BC.

### Political Career

Catiline pursued a career in Roman politics, holding or seeking positions in government as a politician. He attained the rank of senator within the Roman political system. His occupational identity encompassed three roles: politician, senator, and soldier. His activities placed him at the center of Roman political life during the tumultuous period of the late Republic.

### The Catiline Orations

In 63 BC, Marcus Tullius Cicero delivered the Catiline Orations, a set of speeches directed against Catiline. These orations were delivered before the Roman Senate and represent some of the most celebrated examples of political rhetoric in Western history. The inception of the Catiline Orations is dated to 63 BC, and they have since accumulated 25 sitelinks across knowledge platforms, reflecting their enduring scholarly importance.

The dramatic confrontation was later captured by artist Cesare Maccari in the painting "Cicero Denounces Catiline in the Roman Senate," which includes a detailed depiction of Catiline himself.

### Death

Catiline died in January 62 BC (recorded as approximately 62-01-00T00:00:00Z in structured data). His death occurred shortly after the events surrounding the Catiline Orations and the political crisis they addressed.

### Legacy and Documentation

Catiline's life and the events surrounding him have been extensively documented across numerous knowledge systems and authority files. His Wikipedia entry (titled "Catiline") connects to 52 sitelinks across various language editions and platforms. He is recorded under a wide array of authority identifiers, reflecting his prominence in historical scholarship:

- VIAF (Virtual International Authority File): 84032760 and additional clusters
- GND (German National Library): 118668811
- Library of Congress: n79026681
- BNF (Bibliothèque nationale de France): 500354575
- BNE (Biblioteca Nacional de España): XX883924
- Encyclopædia Britannica: biography/Catiline-Roman-politician
- Treccani (Italian Encyclopedia): lucio-sergio-catilina
- Britannica Student Encyclopedia: Catiline-Lucius-Sergius-Catilina
- Brockhaus Enzyklopädie: 1556
- Swedish Nationalencyklopedin: katilina
- Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana: lucio-sergio-catilina
- Great Russian Encyclopedia: istoriya/katilina-luciy-sergiy

His name appears in multiple linguistic and cultural contexts, with aliases including Lucius Sergius Catilina and Catilina, demonstrating his broad recognition across scholarly traditions worldwide.

## References

1. Czech National Authority Database
2. [Source](http://www.strachan.dk/family/gratidius.htm)
3. Orestilla
4. International Standard Name Identifier
5. Virtual International Authority File
6. BnF authorities
7. Sergii
8. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
9. CERL Thesaurus
10. Treccani's Enciclopedia on line
11. Enciclopedia Treccani
12. Dizionario di Storia
13. Bibliography of the History of the Czech Lands
14. HMML Authority File
15. Digital Prosopography of the Roman Republic