Salluste

Salluste , Gaius Sallustius Crispus , 86 - 35 front J. - C., Politician, soldier and Roman historian .

Its life

Salluste was born with Amiterne, in country sabin, of a plebeian family.

Questeur in -55, Powerful orator of the plebs in 52, it supports the party of the Populares , supported by Jules César and Pompée, against the Optimates , of Titus Annius Milon and Cicéron. At the time of the lawsuit of the murderers of Clodius Pulcher, chief of the populares , Salluste are driven out Roman Sénat for immorality in 50.

Friend of Jules César, it is charged to carry out the Roman fleet in Illyrie. He is beaten by Pompéiens (- 49).

Again questeur, Salluste can reinstate the Senate. César entrusts to him a command in Campanie, whose legions were mutinées. He is beaten there.

The political arena is appropriate to him better: elected official Praetor in 47, it accompanies César in Africa and, by his talents, sees himself entrusting the government of the news Roman Province of Numidie in (- 46 - -45). He grows rich there considerably at the expense of people of this province.

On its return to Rome, he is shown of extortion, but not condemned. He buys very beautiful gardens, the horti sallustiani . With died from César (March 15th -44), Salluste withdraws political life. Its career of historian starts.

Its work

Salluste is the author of three great works, of which only two entirely reached us.

the Conjuration of Catilina is the account of the plot of Catilina aiming at the seizure of power, denounced by Cicéron (- 63).

the Guerre of Jugurtha brings back a colonial episode of Rome in North Africa.

the Histoires are very incomplete. They treat history of Rome between the death of Sylla (- 78) and the victory of Pompée against the pirates (- 67). They however were the subject of a very important work of reconstitution on behalf of Charles of Brushes, First President of the Parliament of Burgundy, published in 1777 at Frantin in Dijon under the title Histoire of the Roman Republic in the course of the 7th century, by Salluste, partly translated from Latin on the original, partly restored & composed on the fragments which remained of its books lost, given in order in their true place or most probable .

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