Cicero

A Very Short Introduction

Yelena Baraz (Professor of Classics, Princeton University)

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Paperback

Forthcoming
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English

Oxford University Press
15 January 2026

History; Ancient history: to c 500 CE; Western philosophy: Ancient, to c 500; Social & political philosophy; Hispanic & Latino studies

Series: Very Short Introductions

Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BCE) was one of the most influential figures in late republican Rome, a moment of great social, political, and cultural unrest that would lead to the transition from republic to empire. Cicero was a statesman who held the highest political office, the consulship, and then suffered politically motivated exile. His career was grounded in his continued success as an orator: his speeches were famous during his lifetime and, together with his rhetorical treatises, shaped the practice and theory of public speaking for centuries to come. His ideas influenced early church fathers, Renaissance humanists, and Enlightenment thinkers and his dramatic death captured imagination of his contemporaries, who saw it as standing for the death of the republic and eloquence.

In this Very Short Introduction, Yelena Baraz presents a concise and integrated account of Cicero's life and accomplishments, locating him within the political and intellectual contexts of his time. It shows that in all his pursuits Cicero saw himself as a mediating figure: between theory and practice, philosophy and politics, Greek and Roman, and among political interest groups. Baraz tackles each area of Cicero's activity on its own terms while showing how overarching ideas and priorities permeate the apparently separate endeavours.

ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

By: Yelena Baraz (Professor of Classics Princeton University)
Imprint: Oxford University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 175mm, Width: 112mm, Spine: 10mm
Weight: 133g
ISBN: 9780192885807
ISBN 10: 0192885804
Series: Very Short Introductions
Pages: 160
Publication Date: 15 January 2026
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Acknowledgements 1: The Many Deaths of Marcus Tullius Cicero 2: New Man 3: Statesman 4: Orator 5: Philosopher 6: Poet 7: Friend and Family Man Further Reading

Yelena Baraz is Kennedy Foundation Professor of Latin Language and Literature at Princeton University and the Director of the Princeton Society of Fellows in the Liberal Arts. She is author of Reading Roman Pride and Calpurnius Siculus and the Transformation of Pastoral.