50 B.C. - events and references (original) (raw)

Click on the links in the lists of references to go to the sources for each event

ROM {? January -R} Document: Cic:Fam_15.10-11 & 15.13, letters from Cicero to L.Paullus and C.Marcellus.

C.Curio unsuccessfully proposes that an intercalary month should be inserted in this year.
* Read Dio's account
@ Cic:Fam_8.6'5; +DioCass_40.60'4-61'3.*

Curio proposes various laws, to gain popular support.
* Read Cicero's account
@ Cic:Fam_8.6'5,* :Att_6.1'25; +Caes:BCiv_2.25'4; Lucan_4'689-692; +Appian:BCiv_2'27; { CAH_9'418; DPRR.}

CYP M.Brutus attempts to extort a high rate of interest from the inhabitants of Salamis in Cyprus, through his agent M.Scaptius.
* Read Cicero's account
@ Cic:Att_5.21'10-13,* 6.1'5-7, 2'7-9, 3'5; { ~OCD_b.}

CIL {February -R} Document: Cic:Att_5.21 & 6.1, letters from Cicero to Atticus, written at Laodiceia.

Document: Cic:Fam_13.58-59, letters from Cicero to C.Titius and M.Curtius.

ROM {February -R} Document: Cic:Fam_8.6, a letter from Caelius to Cicero, announcing that Curio has become an open supporter of Caesar.

ROM {? March -R} C.Marcellus attempts to persuade the senate to fix an end date for Caesar's command, but is vigorously opposed by Curio.
* Read Cicero's account
@ Cic:Att_7.1'5, 7'5,* :Fam_8.11'3, 13'2;(?)Caes:BGall_8.53'1-2; { CAH_9'418-419.}

CIL {March -R} Document: Cic:Fam_7.32 & 9.25, letters from Cicero to Volumnius and Paetus.

{March -R} Document: Cic:Fam_2.14, a letter from Cicero to Caelius.

ROM Appius Claudius is prosecuted by Dolabella for his conduct in Cilicia, but is acquitted.
* Read Cicero's account
@ Cic:Att_6.6'1, :Fam_2.13'2, 3.10'1, '5, 11'1-3,* 8.6'1-3, :Brut_230, 324; [Vict]:VirIll_82'4; { OCD_brutus.}

Curio begins to insist that Pompeius should lay down his command at the same time as Caesar.
* Read Plutarch's account
@ [Liv]:Per_109; Plut:Caes_30'1-2;* +Appian:BCiv_2'27; { CAH_9'419.}

{April -R} The senate votes to approve a supplication for Cicero's victories in Cilicia, despite the opposition of M.Cato.
* Read Cicero's account
@ Cic:Fam_2.15'1, 8.11'1-2,* 15.5'1-3, 6'1-2.

EGY The sons of M.Bibulus are murdered in Egypt.
* Read Cicero's account
@ Cic:Att_6.5'3;* Caes:BCiv_3.110'6; ValMax_4.1'15; Sen:Dial_6.14'2; { CAH_9'320; Cicero refers to this bereavement in a letter to Atticus in June.}

CIL {4 April - R} Document: Cic:Fam_2.11, a letter from Cicero to Caelius.

Document: Cic:Fam_13.53-57 & 13.61-65, letters from Cicero to Minucius Thermus and P.Silius.

Document: Cic:Att_6.2, a letter from Cicero to Atticus.

ROM Document: Cic:Fam_8.7 & 8.11, two letters from Caelius to Cicero.

SYR Bibulus stays within the walls of Antioch, until the Parthians have completely left Syria.
* Read Cicero's account
@ Cic:Att_6.8'5,* :Fam_12.19'2; Caes:BCiv_3.30'3;(?)[Liv]:Per_108; Appian:Syr_51;(↓) DioCass_40.30'2.

CIL {May -R} Document: Cic:Fam_2.13 & 2.18, letters from Cicero to Caelius and Q.Thermus.

ROM ++ General comments on the orator Q.Hortensius, his florid style of speaking and his love of luxury.
* Read Cicero's account
@ Cic:Brut_230, 323-324,* :Tusc_1'59; ValMax_3.5'4, 8.10'2; Plin:HN_8'211, 9'170,L '172,L 35'130; Quint_4.5'24, 11.2'24; Aelian:NA_5'21; Macrob:Sat_3.13'3-5.L

{June -R} The death of Hortensius; after which Marcia returns to her previous husband, M.Cato.
* Read Cicero's account
@ Cic:Att_6.6'2,* :Fam_8.13'2, :Brut_1, 229, 328; Vell_2.48'6; ValMax_5.9'2; Lucan_2'327-334; Plin:HN_14'96;L Appian:BCiv_2'99;(↓) { CAH_9'419; OCD_h=49.}

Tullia, the daughter of Cicero, marries P.Dolabella.
* Read Cicero's account
@ Cic:Att_6.6'1,* 9'5, :Fam_2.15'2, 8.13'1; Ascon_5;L { OCD_d.}

ITA Pompeius falls seriously ill, while staying at Neapolis, and sacrifices are offered throughout Italy for his recovery.
* Read Plutarch's account
@ Cic:Tusc_1'86; Vell_2.48'2; Sen:Dial_6.20'4; Plut:Pomp_57'1-5;* Juvenal_10'283-285; +Appian:BCiv_2'28; DioCass_41.6'3; { CAH_9'420.}

Pompeius suggests to the senate that he might lay down his command if Caesar does the same, but the offer is rejected by Curio.
@ +Appian:BCiv_2'28.

CIL {June -R} Document: Cic:Att_6.3-5 & Cic:Fam_2.19, letters from Cicero to Atticus and Coelius Caldus.

{June -R} Document: Cic:Fam_2.12 & 8.13, letters of Cicero to and from Caelius.

CIS Caesar visits Cisalpine Gaul.
@ +Caes:BGall_8.48'10-51'3.

AEG ++ General comments on the philosopher Poseidonius, who spent most of his life in Rhodes.
* Read Strabo's account
@ Strab_14'655;* (2.13) Sen:Ep_104'22; Lucian:Macr_20; Suda_P'2107, '2108, '2109; { OCD_p; Green_642.}

29a

Jason of Nysa succeeds Poseidonius as head of the school at Rhodes.
@ Suda_I'52.

CIL << General comments on Cicero's conduct as governor of Cilicia.
* Read Plutarch's account
@ Cic:Fam_13.12'1, 16'2, 67'1, :Deiot_28, :Phil_11'34; Seneca:Suas_6'11; Quint_12.1'16; Plut:Cic_36'1-5,* 52'3, '6; [Vict]:VirIll_81'3.

{July -R} Document: Cic:Att_6.7 & Cic:Fam_15.6, letters from Cicero to Atticus and Cato, written at Tarsus.

{July -R} Document: Cic:Fam_2.17 & 15.11, letters from Cicero to Cn.Sallustius and C.Marcellus.

ROM Ser.Galba fails to be elected as consul for the following year.
* Read Cicero's account
@ (?)Cic:Att_6.8'3;* +Caes:BGall_8.50'4; Suet:Gal_3'2; { CAH_9'419; OCD_g.}

M.Antonius is elected to be tribune of the plebs for the following year.
* Read Plutarch's account
@ Cic:Phil_2'50; ~Plut:Ant_5'1-2.*

M.Antonius is elected to be augur, with strong support from Caesar.
* Read Caesar's account
@ Cic:Fam_8.14'1, :Phil_2'4; +Caes:BGall_8.50'1-3;* Plut:Ant_5'2; { CAH_9'419; Antonius was elected to replace Q.Hortensius.}

{August -R} Document: Cic:Fam_8.14, a letter from Caelius to Cicero.

LYC {August -R} Document: Cic:Att_6.6 & Cic:Fam_2.15, letters from Cicero to Atticus and Caelius, written at Side.

ROM The senate asks Pompeius and Caesar each to send a legion to defend Syria against the Parthians.
* Read Dio's account
@ +Caes:BGall_8.54'1-3, 55'1-2, :BCiv_3.88'2; Lucan_2'474-477; +Plut:Caes_29'4-6, :Pomp_56'4, 57'6-9, :Ant_5'3-4; +Appian:BCiv_2'29-30; +DioCass_40.65'1-66'4;* { Later in the year, Pompeius decided to keep the two legions in Italy, for his own use.}

Cato votes in favour of a supplication for the success of his son-in-law Bibulus in Syria.
* Read Cicero's account
@ Cic:Att_7.2'6-7,* 3'5; { DPRR.}

GAL Caesar returns to Transalpine Gaul, and reviews his army in the territory of the Treveri.
* Read Caesar's account
@ +Caes:BGall_8.52'1-3;* DioCass_40.44'1-3.

GRE Cicero talks to the philosopher Aristus at Athens, during his journey back home.
* Read Cicero's account
@ Cic:Att_7.1'1,* :Tusc_5'21-22.

{October -R} Document: Cic:Att_6.8-7.1 & Cic:Fam_14.5, letters from Cicero to Atticus and to his wife Terentia.

EGY {23 Phaophi -E = Oct.} Document: SelPap_2.209, a royal decree regulating the transport of wheat.

GAL Caesar sends his army to winter quarters in the territory of the Aedui and Belgae.
@ +Caes:BGall_8.54'4-5.

GRE {November -R} Document: Cic:Att_7.2 & Cic:Fam_16.1-9, letters from Cicero to Atticus and Tiro, written on the journey from Athens to Brundisium.

ROM {November -R} Document: Cic:Fam_8.12, a letter from Caelius to Cicero.

{1 December -R} A large majority of the senate votes in favour of the proposal of Curio, that Caesar and Pompeius should both lay down their commands.
* Read Plutarch's account
@ +Caes:BGall_8.52'4-5; Plut:CatMin_51'6-7, +:Caes_30'4-6, +:Pomp_58'4-10,* :Ant_5'6-7; +Appian:BCiv_2'30; +DioCass_40.62'3-4; { OCD_cur.}

{2 December -R} The consuls, without the formal agreement of the senate, authorise Pompeius to defend Italy against Caesar.
* Read Plutarch's account
@ Plut:Pomp_59'1-2;* +Appian:BCiv_2'31; +DioCass_40.64'4; { CAH_9'421-422.}

== Curio's outspoken eloquence as tribune brings about an open split between Caesar and Pompeius.
* Read Livy's account
@ [Liv]:Per_109;* Plin:HN_36'120; Suet:Rhet_1.

{9 December -R} In his final speech as tribune, Curio strongly denounces Pompeius and the consuls.
@ Appian:BCiv_2'31;(↓) +DioCass_40.66'5; { CAH_9'422.}

Caesar suggests that he should be allowed to stay on as governor of Cisalpine Gaul and Illyricum, but this is rejected by his opponents.
@ (?)Cic:Att_7.4'2; Suet:Caes_29'2; +Appian:BCiv_2'32.

Pompeius tells the senate that he has only to stamp on the ground, for soldiers to rise up in defence of Italy against Caesar.
* Read Plutarch's account
@ Plut:Caes_33'5, ~:Pomp_57'9,* 60'7; Appian:BCiv_2'37.

An envoy of Caesar threatens that Caesar will assert his rights by the power of the sword.
* Read Plutarch's account
@ Plut:Caes_29'7,* +:Pomp_58'3; { Appian (BCiv_2.25) attributes this remark to Caesar himself.}

ETR Document: Cic:Att_7.3-9, letters from Cicero to Atticus, mostly written at Formiae.

ITA The setting of the dialogue in the first two books of Cicero's "De Finibus".
@ Cic:Fin_1'1-2'119; { The dialogue is said to have taken place at Cumae, when L.Torquatus was praetor designate ( see DPRR ).}

55a

SYR == M.Bibulus removes the statues of Zeus and Athena from Antioch and sends them to Rome.
@ Malal_212.

ROM The censors, Claudius and Piso, complete the census after demoting several senators, including the historian Sallustius.
* Read Dio's account
@ Cic:Att_6.9'5, :Fam_8.14'4, :Div_1'29-30; [Cic]:InSall_16; Plut:Caes_55'5; +DioCass_40.63'1-64'1;* { CAH_9'420; DPRR.}

== The senate orders the demolition of temples of Isis and Serapis.
@ ValMax_1.3'4; { When L.Paullus was consul - most probably the consul for this year.}

== Paullus builds the Basilica Aemilia, allegedly using money given to him by Caesar as a bribe.
* Read Plutarch's account
@ +Plut:Caes_29'3;* +Appian:BCiv_2'26;(↓) { CAH_9'416; the basilica was started several years earlier - see Cic:Att_4.16'8.}

== Various omens, including a fire at Rome.
@ +Obseq_62; !Oros_6.14'4-5, 7.2'11.

?? Cn.Piso prosecutes Manilius Crispus, a friend of Pompeius.
@ ValMax_6.2'4; { This and the following events took place shortly before the civil war, when Pompeius had great influence at Rome.}

?? The will of M.Anneius, which names Tullianus as heir, is rescinded in favour of Anneius' son.
@ ValMax_7.7'2.

?? Lentulus Spinther is named as heir of T.Barrus, but inherits nothing from him.
@ ValMax_7.8'8.

62a

?? Metellus Nepos names Carrinas as his sole heir.
@ ValMax_7.8'3.

?? Mamurra's house is elaborately decorated, with marble walls.
@ Plin:HN_36'48; { Mamurra served with Caesar in Gaul; there is no mention of him after that.}

?? M.Messalla is given the nickname Menogenes, from an actor whom he resembles.
@ ValMax_9.14'5.

64a

ASI << Document: Sherk_77,B a letter of a Roman magistrate about judicial procedures in Asia.

?? Aeschines of Miletus is sent into exile for speaking too freely in front of Pompeius.
@ Strab_14'635.(1.7)

++ The philosopher Athenodorus spends the last part of his life with Cato in Rome.
@ Strab_14'674;(5.14) Sen:Ep_10'4.

BOS ?? Pharnaces consolidates the kingdom of Bosporus, by attacking neighbouring nations.
@ Strab_11'495,(2.11) '506.(5.8)