Professor Catherine Steel

Remember, I talked about those relatives of his mother. The Aureliai Cottae produced three consuls in the course of the 70s BC, which is pretty good going, three brothers. And he gets into the College of Pontiffs, which is fine because Roman aristocrats, particularly patricians, do often get co-opted quite young into these positions.

Remember, I talked about those relatives of his mother. The Aureliai Cottae produced three consuls in the course of the 70s BC, which is pretty good going, three brothers. And he gets into the College of Pontiffs, which is fine because Roman aristocrats, particularly patricians, do often get co-opted quite young into these positions.

Remember, I talked about those relatives of his mother. The Aureliai Cottae produced three consuls in the course of the 70s BC, which is pretty good going, three brothers. And he gets into the College of Pontiffs, which is fine because Roman aristocrats, particularly patricians, do often get co-opted quite young into these positions.

What is much more surprising is his decision to stand for the position of Pontifex Maximus, because he's standing against two other much more senior men, much more eminent. He's still relatively junior. He hasn't held the consulship. I mean, we do have examples of earlier Pontifices Maximi, who haven't yet got to the consulship.

What is much more surprising is his decision to stand for the position of Pontifex Maximus, because he's standing against two other much more senior men, much more eminent. He's still relatively junior. He hasn't held the consulship. I mean, we do have examples of earlier Pontifices Maximi, who haven't yet got to the consulship.

What is much more surprising is his decision to stand for the position of Pontifex Maximus, because he's standing against two other much more senior men, much more eminent. He's still relatively junior. He hasn't held the consulship. I mean, we do have examples of earlier Pontifices Maximi, who haven't yet got to the consulship.

They were elected a bit young, so it's not unprecedented, but it's a bold move to stand for election. It is an elected position, so you have to be a pontiff in order to stand, but it's then election. And he is accused of heavy bribery to secure the position. And he's successful. So there he is, head of the state religion.

They were elected a bit young, so it's not unprecedented, but it's a bold move to stand for election. It is an elected position, so you have to be a pontiff in order to stand, but it's then election. And he is accused of heavy bribery to secure the position. And he's successful. So there he is, head of the state religion.

They were elected a bit young, so it's not unprecedented, but it's a bold move to stand for election. It is an elected position, so you have to be a pontiff in order to stand, but it's then election. And he is accused of heavy bribery to secure the position. And he's successful. So there he is, head of the state religion.

And he clearly, over the coming decades, makes use of that in his public profile. But probably not a huge amount yet. Because, of course, between 62 and 45, he spends almost all of his time outside Rome. He's in Rome for his consulship, but that aside, he's mostly away. And unlike the Flamandialis, which has to be in Rome, it seems actually relatively easy for the Pontifex Maximus to be absent.

And he clearly, over the coming decades, makes use of that in his public profile. But probably not a huge amount yet. Because, of course, between 62 and 45, he spends almost all of his time outside Rome. He's in Rome for his consulship, but that aside, he's mostly away. And unlike the Flamandialis, which has to be in Rome, it seems actually relatively easy for the Pontifex Maximus to be absent.

And he clearly, over the coming decades, makes use of that in his public profile. But probably not a huge amount yet. Because, of course, between 62 and 45, he spends almost all of his time outside Rome. He's in Rome for his consulship, but that aside, he's mostly away. And unlike the Flamandialis, which has to be in Rome, it seems actually relatively easy for the Pontifex Maximus to be absent.

It's only unusual in the sense that the Pontifex Maximus, more normally, at least in recent years, has been somebody who has already held a consulship and therefore is not going to be holding office. But the juxtaposition of offices isn't, I think, in itself a problem. But what is striking is that he's successful in that election.

It's only unusual in the sense that the Pontifex Maximus, more normally, at least in recent years, has been somebody who has already held a consulship and therefore is not going to be holding office. But the juxtaposition of offices isn't, I think, in itself a problem. But what is striking is that he's successful in that election.

It's only unusual in the sense that the Pontifex Maximus, more normally, at least in recent years, has been somebody who has already held a consulship and therefore is not going to be holding office. But the juxtaposition of offices isn't, I think, in itself a problem. But what is striking is that he's successful in that election.

And then the third thing in 63 is his involvement or not with the Catalinarian conspiracy. So to recap, Lucius Sergius Catalina, another patrician in fact, From a family even more decayed and unsuccessful in recent decades than the Iuli Caesares, another sullen protégé tries and fails for, I think, the third time to be elected to the consulship in the summer of 63.

And then the third thing in 63 is his involvement or not with the Catalinarian conspiracy. So to recap, Lucius Sergius Catalina, another patrician in fact, From a family even more decayed and unsuccessful in recent decades than the Iuli Caesares, another sullen protégé tries and fails for, I think, the third time to be elected to the consulship in the summer of 63.

And then the third thing in 63 is his involvement or not with the Catalinarian conspiracy. So to recap, Lucius Sergius Catalina, another patrician in fact, From a family even more decayed and unsuccessful in recent decades than the Iuli Caesares, another sullen protégé tries and fails for, I think, the third time to be elected to the consulship in the summer of 63.

And he's been making various inflammatory statements up to this point, but this seems to be the moment at which Catiline tips over into more direct action in order to secure his position. The whole thing is quite murky. There is an armed uprising.

And he's been making various inflammatory statements up to this point, but this seems to be the moment at which Catiline tips over into more direct action in order to secure his position. The whole thing is quite murky. There is an armed uprising.