Caerellia

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Caerellia was one in the 1st century BC. A woman who lived with Marcus Tullius Cicero in the last years of his life, at the latest from 46 BC. BC, was in various relationships. She was wealthy in Rome and the province of Asia and was particularly interested in Cicero's philosophical writings. Her relationship with the few known members of the plebeian Caerellier family must remain open.

Caerellia with Cicero and Cassius Dio

Cicero shows various aspects of Caerellia in his letters. In two letters to Atticus she appears in the traditional role of mediator in family affairs (between Cicero and the brother of his second wife). But Caerellia is also active in financial transactions. She made what was probably a sizeable loan to Cicero. Cicero, however, asks the proconsul of the province of Asia, Publius Servilius Isauricus , both in personal conversation and in writing, to support Caerellia with regard to her debt claims and possessions in his province to the limits of his possibilities (quae tua fides pateretur) . He calls them Caerellia, necessaria mea , which can be translated both as “Caerellia, my protection order” and as “Caerellia, my friend”.

Caerellia's relationship to philosophy remains a mystery. She apparently got a preliminary version of Cicero's De finibus bonorum et malorum from Atticus' office, probably not only for private use, because Cicero sees his concerns impaired.

Around 250 years later, in his Roman history , Cassius Dio gives an allegedly in January 43 BC. The speech given by Quintus Fufius Calenus in the 4th century BC, accusing Cicero of adultery with the much older Caerellia. Despite the large time lag, it is likely that the speech was given in a similar form. Cassius Dio had access to the archives of the Senate in Rome and Cassius Dio also reproduces the basic features of the Philippica Ciceros, to which Quintus Fufius Calenus replies with his speech. Such rumors must have been circulating in Rome, but the accusation is to be regarded as defamation, since Cicero was even older at the time they met, in the sixties and Caerellia.

Caerellia in later sources

Even after his death, letters from Cicero to Caerellia circulated, but they were later lost. Quintilian cites a letter as an example of the joking treatment of political issues. Even in the fourth century Ausonius justified himself for the personalities in his Cento nuptialis with the petulantia , the exuberance that the otherwise serious Cicero had also shown in his letters to Caerellia.

literature

Remarks

  1. ↑ Cicero, An Atticus 14, 18, 4.
  2. ↑ Cicero, An Atticus 12, 56, 3.
  3. ^ Cicero, To His Friends 13, 72.
  4. ↑ Cicero, An Atticus 13, 30, 2 and 13, 32, 3.
  5. ^ Cassius Dio, Roman History 46, 18, 4.
  6. ^ Gerhard Wirth : Introduction to Cassius Dio: Römische Geschichte , translated by Otto Veh , Zurich / Munich, 1985, p. 37 and p. 39.
  7. ^ Quintilian, Training for Orators 6, 3, 112.
personal data
SURNAME Caerellia
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Friend of Cicero
DATE OF BIRTH 2nd century BC BC or 1st century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 1st century BC Chr.