Professor Catherine Steel

Every prosecution at Rome in the so-called Judicia Publica, the big jury courts, for charges which we would generally call criminal, though that, as you know, that criminal civil distinction in Roman law is a bit problematic. So being a prosecutor is one of the relatively few ways in which a young man in his 20s can make an opportunity for himself on the public stage.

Every prosecution at Rome in the so-called Judicia Publica, the big jury courts, for charges which we would generally call criminal, though that, as you know, that criminal civil distinction in Roman law is a bit problematic. So being a prosecutor is one of the relatively few ways in which a young man in his 20s can make an opportunity for himself on the public stage.

I mean, there can be competition about who can bring charges against somebody. But if you win out and are identified as a prosecutor, then you have an opportunity to speak in a legal context, but on matters of the various charges that are heard in front of these courts tend often to be of public significance. You have an opportunity to make your mark in that way.

I mean, there can be competition about who can bring charges against somebody. But if you win out and are identified as a prosecutor, then you have an opportunity to speak in a legal context, but on matters of the various charges that are heard in front of these courts tend often to be of public significance. You have an opportunity to make your mark in that way.

I mean, there can be competition about who can bring charges against somebody. But if you win out and are identified as a prosecutor, then you have an opportunity to speak in a legal context, but on matters of the various charges that are heard in front of these courts tend often to be of public significance. You have an opportunity to make your mark in that way.

And there's clearly a phenomenon of the early career prosecutor where young men choose this way of advertising their existence to the Roman people. I suspect that a lot of it is based on ghostwriters, but that may be a bit unfair on Caesar himself. And that's great. And he does actually publish the speeches that he delivered, but they're not successful. The men he prosecuted were both acquitted.

And there's clearly a phenomenon of the early career prosecutor where young men choose this way of advertising their existence to the Roman people. I suspect that a lot of it is based on ghostwriters, but that may be a bit unfair on Caesar himself. And that's great. And he does actually publish the speeches that he delivered, but they're not successful. The men he prosecuted were both acquitted.

And there's clearly a phenomenon of the early career prosecutor where young men choose this way of advertising their existence to the Roman people. I suspect that a lot of it is based on ghostwriters, but that may be a bit unfair on Caesar himself. And that's great. And he does actually publish the speeches that he delivered, but they're not successful. The men he prosecuted were both acquitted.

Which doesn't necessarily imply that he's incompetent, just that decisions around jury activity are quite complex in Rome, and that they're both very early on in the Sullen period, and that maybe he'd chosen figures rather too well embedded in the establishment to be successful. Interesting debate to be had about what's going on.

Which doesn't necessarily imply that he's incompetent, just that decisions around jury activity are quite complex in Rome, and that they're both very early on in the Sullen period, and that maybe he'd chosen figures rather too well embedded in the establishment to be successful. Interesting debate to be had about what's going on.

Which doesn't necessarily imply that he's incompetent, just that decisions around jury activity are quite complex in Rome, and that they're both very early on in the Sullen period, and that maybe he'd chosen figures rather too well embedded in the establishment to be successful. Interesting debate to be had about what's going on.

Okay, three reasons. First of all, he stands for and is elected praetor. Not probably hugely surprising that he's successful, but this is the next stage of his career. And we'll want to talk in a moment about what he does as praetor. Secondly, he's elected as Pontifex Maximus. right? And thirdly, he participates in the debate on the Catilinarian conspirators. So Pontifex Maximus, right.

Okay, three reasons. First of all, he stands for and is elected praetor. Not probably hugely surprising that he's successful, but this is the next stage of his career. And we'll want to talk in a moment about what he does as praetor. Secondly, he's elected as Pontifex Maximus. right? And thirdly, he participates in the debate on the Catilinarian conspirators. So Pontifex Maximus, right.

Okay, three reasons. First of all, he stands for and is elected praetor. Not probably hugely surprising that he's successful, but this is the next stage of his career. And we'll want to talk in a moment about what he does as praetor. Secondly, he's elected as Pontifex Maximus. right? And thirdly, he participates in the debate on the Catilinarian conspirators. So Pontifex Maximus, right.

So the fact that he had been kind of abortively Flamandialis doesn't seem to have stood in his way. Though interestingly, the position of Flamandialis is not itself filled until Augustus. I suspect that the problem is nobody quite knew what to do. If Caesar had kind of been Flamand, can you replace it while he's still alive? Maybe just too difficult to go there.

So the fact that he had been kind of abortively Flamandialis doesn't seem to have stood in his way. Though interestingly, the position of Flamandialis is not itself filled until Augustus. I suspect that the problem is nobody quite knew what to do. If Caesar had kind of been Flamand, can you replace it while he's still alive? Maybe just too difficult to go there.

So the fact that he had been kind of abortively Flamandialis doesn't seem to have stood in his way. Though interestingly, the position of Flamandialis is not itself filled until Augustus. I suspect that the problem is nobody quite knew what to do. If Caesar had kind of been Flamand, can you replace it while he's still alive? Maybe just too difficult to go there.

So he's co-opted as a pontiff quite young. So that is a mark, right? That is a mark of distinction relatively early in his career. Probably his major achievement, actually, up until that point. And that will be a reflection of family and background and the fact that, you know, whatever his originally rocky start was. He does have connections within the Roman governing class.

So he's co-opted as a pontiff quite young. So that is a mark, right? That is a mark of distinction relatively early in his career. Probably his major achievement, actually, up until that point. And that will be a reflection of family and background and the fact that, you know, whatever his originally rocky start was. He does have connections within the Roman governing class.

So he's co-opted as a pontiff quite young. So that is a mark, right? That is a mark of distinction relatively early in his career. Probably his major achievement, actually, up until that point. And that will be a reflection of family and background and the fact that, you know, whatever his originally rocky start was. He does have connections within the Roman governing class.