63 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 {1 January -R} Cicero successfully opposes an agrarian law proposed by the tribune Rullus.
@ Cic:LegAgr_1'1-3'16, #:Att_2.1'3; #:Pis_4, #:Fam_13.4'1; Plin:HN_7'117, 8'210; Quint_2.16'7; +Plut:Cic_12'1-5; +DioCass_37.25'4; { CAH_9'351.}

BOS << Mithridates plans further expeditions, including the invasion of Italy.
* Read Appian's account
@ Plut:Pomp_41'2; Flor_1.40'25; ~Appian:Mith_109;* +DioCass_37.11'1-4; { ~CAH_9'254.}

ROM << Catilina gains the support of Sempronia and other women.
* Read Sallust's account
@ ~Sall:Cat_24'3-25'5;* ~Appian:BCiv_2'2.(↓)

Cicero procures the cooperation of his colleague Antonius, and of Fulvia, the mistress of Q.Curius.
* Read Sallust's account
@ Cic:Sest_8, +:Pis_5; +Sall:Cat_26'1-4;* +Plut:Cic_12'4; Flor_2.12'5-6; +Appian:BCiv_2'3; Justin:Dig_48.4'8<q"Papinian>;+DioCass_37.33'4, 38.10'3-4; { OCD_a.}

Cicero opposes some other proposals of the tribunes, including the cancellation of debts.
* Read Dio's account
@ Cic:Off_2'84; +DioCass_37.25'3-4.*

Caesar prosecutes C.Piso, who is defended by Cicero.
* Read Sallust's account
@ Sall:Cat_49'2;* +Cic:Flac_98; { CAH_9'351.}

Various omens, including an inauspicious "augurium salutis" and an eclipse of the moon.
* Read Cicero's account
@ +Cic:Div_1'18-22,* '105, 2'45, '47; Plin:HN_2'137; +DioCass_37.24'1-25'2; +Obseq_61; { CAH_9'352.}

Cicero helps the equites to retain the privilege of special seats at the theatre.
* Read Cicero's account
@ +Cic:Att_2.1'3;* Plin:HN_7'117; +Plut:Cic_13'14; { CAH_9'352; OCD_roscius.}

SYR Pompeius marches to Damascus, establishing Roman control over Tripolis and the territory of the Ituraeans.
* Read Josephus' account
@ ~Joseph:AJ_14'38-40;* Festus:Brev_14'2, 16'3; Eutrop_6.14'1; +Oros_6.6'1.

ROM Labienus and Caesar accuse C.Rabirius of treason, but he is defended by Cicero.
* Read Cicero's account
@ Cic:RabPerd_1-38,* +:Att_2.1'3, +:Pis_4; ~Ascon_5;L Suet:Caes_12'1; +DioCass_37.26'1-28'4, 37'2; { CAH_9'352; OCD_r.}

++ General comments on the character of Metellus Pius, the pontifex maximus.
* Read Plutarch's account
@ Cic:Arch_26; Plut:CatMai_24'11, :Mor_273'D-E;* { OCD_m.}

The right to elect new Roman priests is transferred back to the people, on the proposal of Labienus.
@ +DioCass_37.37'1; { CAH_9'352.}

Crowds greet Murena on his return to Rome from the province of Gaul.
@ ~Cic:Mur_68-69; { DPRR.}

SYR Pompeius receives envoys from Hyrcanus and Aristobulus at Damascus.
* Read Josephus' account
@ Diod_40.2'1; Joseph:BJ_1'131-132, ~:AJ_14'41-47;* Euseb:HistEc_1.7'12; Sulpit_2'26; August:DeCiv_18'45.(↓↓)

ROM Caesar is elected to be pontifex maximus.
* Read Plutarch's account
@ Sall:Cat_49'2; Vell_2.43'3; Plut:Caes_7'1-4,* :Mor_206'A; ~Suet:Caes_13'1; +DioCass_37.37'1-3, 44.48'3; { CAH_9'353; OCD_c.}

Cicero delivers a speech "about the children of the proscribed".
* Read Cicero's account
@ +Cic:Att_2.1'3, +:Pis_4;* Plin:HN_7'117; { CAH_9'352-353.}

BOS ?? Mithridates outdoes his rivals in eating and drinking contests.
@ Plut:Mor_624'A;(Q1.6) Athen_10.415'e.

?? Mithridates discovers an antidote which protects him against poisoning.
@ Plin:HN_25'5-7,L '62-63,L '65,L '127,L 29'24;L Mart_5.76'1-2; Juvenal_6'660-661, 14'252-253.

?? Mithridates learns 22 languages in order to speak to his subjects.
* Read Quintilian's account
@ ValMax_8.7e'16; Plin:HN_7'88, 25'6;L Quint_11.2'50;* Gell_17.17'2; [Vict]:VirIll_76'1.

?? Teucer of Cyzicus and Aesopus write about the achievements of Mithridates.
* Read Suda's account
@ Suda_Ai'333,* T'426.

?? Mithridates is guarded at night by a bull, a horse and a deer.
@ Aelian:NA_7'46.

Mithridates commits suicide after his son Pharnaces starts a rebellion.
* Read Appian's account
@ (?)SEG_56.934; ~[Liv]:Per_102; ValMax_9.2e'3; Lucan_1'336-337, 2'580-582; Flor_1.40'26; Appian:Mith_110-112,* 117; Paus_3.23'5; Gell_17.16'2-6; +DioCass_37.12'1-14'1; Festus:Brev_16'1; [Vict]:VirIll_76'7-8; Eutrop_6.12'3; Oros_6.5'4-7; { CAH_9'254; OCD_m.}

++ General comments on the long reign of Mithridates, and his wars against the Romans.
* Read Appian's account
@ Cic:ProvCon_31, :Mur_34; Strab_1'14,(2.1) 7'311,(4.6) 12'540-541,(3.1) '544,(3.9) '545,(3.11) '555,(3.28) '556;(3.30) Plin:HN_7'97-99, 16'137;L Plut:Mor_624'B;(Q1.6) Flor_1.40'2; Appian:Syr_48, :Mith_112,(↓) 118-119,* 121; Just_37.1'7-8; Oros_6.1'29-30, 5'11-12.

ARA Pompeius prepares to fight against Aretas and the Nabataean Arabs.
* Read Dio's account
@ Strab_16'779;(4.21) Lucan_2'590; ~Plut:Pomp_41'1-2; Flor_1.40'29; ~Appian:Mith_106; +DioCass_37.14'3-15'2;* [Vict]:VirIll_77'6-7; Oros_6.6'1; { CAH_9'261; Pompeius did not defeat the Nabataeans, because he invaded Judaea instead.}

ROM Cicero persuades the senate to pass a decree to prohibit bribery in elections.
* Read Cicero's account
@ Cic:Mur_3, 5, 46-47,* 67, :Vat_37, +:Pis_4; +DioCass_37.29'1; Schol:Bob_79, 140,L 151,L +166;L { CAH_9'353.}

ROM Catilina forms an abortive plot to kill the consuls before the elections.
* Read Plutarch's account
@ Cic:Mur_79, :Cat_1'11, 4'2; +Sall:Cat_26'5; +Plut:Cic_14'1-4;* +DioCass_37.29'2-4.

Lentulus Spinther as aedile organises magnificent games.
@ +Cic:Off_2'57; ValMax_2.4'6; +Plin:HN_9'137,L 19'23;L { DPRR.}

Metellus Celer is allocated the province of Gaul, in place of Cicero.
* Read Cicero's account
@ Cic:Cat_4'23,* :Fam_5.2'3, +:Att_2.1'3, :Pis_5; { CAH_9'354; OCD_m.}

PAL Pompeius enters Judaea; Hyrcanus submits to him, but Aristobulus remains defiant.
* Read Josephus' account
@ Joseph:BJ_1'139-140, ~:AJ_14'48-52;* +DioCass_37.15'2-3; { CAH_9'261.}

Pompeius receives news of the death of Mithridates.
* Read Appian's account
@ Joseph:BJ_1'138, ~:AJ_14'53; ~Plut:Pomp_41'3-42'2; Appian:Mith_113;* +Oros_6.6'1; Movses_2'15; { CAH_9'261-262; according to Plutarch, this happened slightly later, after the capture of Jerusalem.}

Pompeius stays near Jericho, and puts Aristobulus under arrest.
* Read Josephus' account
@ Joseph:BJ_1'139-140, ~:AJ_14'54-57;* Plut:Pomp_39'3; +DioCass_37.15'3; Euseb:HistEc_1.6'6; [Euseb]:Chron_129;(↓) ChronPasc_453'A.

EGY {5 Mesore -E = August} Document: SelPap_2.393, instructions from Athenaeus for the payment of soldiers' wages.

ROM Catilina is unsuccessful in the elections for new consuls.
* Read Cicero's account
@ Cic:Mur_1, 7, 48-53,* 70-74, :Sull_51-52, :Cael_11-14; +Sall:Cat_26'5; +Plut:Cic_14'5-6; +DioCass_37.29'5-30'1; { CAH_9'353; OCD_c.}

Cato and Metellus Nepos are elected to be tribunes for the following year.
* Read Plutarch's account
@ ~Plut:CatMin_20'1-21'2,* :Crass_36'3; { OCD_c.}

The triumphs of L.Lucullus, over Mithridates, and M.Lucullus, over the Bessi.
* Read Plutarch's account
@ ~Cic:Mur_69, +:Acad_2'3; Diod_4.21'4; CIL_11.1832; Vell_2.34'2; Plut:CatMin_29'5-8, :Luc_37'2-6;* Athen_6.274'f; Eutrop_6.10'1; Schol:Bob_177;L { OCD_l.}

A supplication and other special honours are voted for Pompeius' victory over Mithridates.
* Read Dio's account
@ Cic:ProvCon_27; Vell_2.40'4; +DioCass_37.21'3-23'4.*

EGY ++ An account of the vast wealth of Ptolemy, king of Egypt, at this time.
@ Plin:HN_33'136.

<< Document: SelPap_2.394, instructions from Dionysius for a payment to Horus the hawk-tender.

ROM {23 September -R} The birth of C.Octavius, the future emperor Augustus.
* Read Suetonius' account
@ #OGIS_458'22-23, '31,'55-56<t=B Sherk_101>;#EhrJon:Fast_Sep23; [Liv]:Per_119; +Vell_2.36'1; #Suet:Aug_5'1, 94'1-5,* 100'1, '3; +DioCass_45.1'2-2'1; ~Hieron:Chron_2029; { CAH_9'354; OCD_a; the birthday of Augustus was still being celebrated by Roman soldiers in the 3rd century A.D. - see the Dura-Europos calendar.}

Cicero and Catulus both have dreams about the future greatness of Octavius.
@ +DioCass_45.2'2-4,

PAL {October} Pompeius captures Jerusalem.
* Read Josephus' account
@ Cic:Flac_67-68; ~[Liv]:Per_102; Strab_16'762-763;(2.40) Joseph:BJ_1'141-151, 5'395-397, +:AJ_14'58-71,* '466, '487, 20'244; Appian:Syr_50; +DioCass_37.16'1-4; Eutrop_6.14'2; +Oros_6.6'2-4; ChronPasc_453'A-B; ChronSynt_65,(↓) 67;(↓) { CAH_9'261; OCD_j.}

Pompeius enters the inner sanctuary of the temple at Jerusalem.
* Read Josephus' account
@ Liv_fr'26a;L Joseph:BJ_1'152-153,* ~:AJ_14'72; Tac:Hist_5'9; Flor_1.40'30; Tert:Apol_16'3; Euseb:HistEc_1.6'6; Hieron:Chron_1950; August:DeCiv_18'45;(↓↓) ChronPasc_453'A; { OCD_j.}

ETR Catilina sends out C.Manlius and others to foment revolt in Italy.
* Read Sallust's account
@ +Sall:Cat_27'1-2,* 28'4; +Plut:Cic_15'1; ~Appian:BCiv_2'2.(↓)

ROM {20 October -R} Crassus receives an anonymous letter with details of Catilina's conspiracy.
* Read Plutarch's account
@ #Plut:Cic_15'1-2,* :Crass_13'3-4; +DioCass_37.31'1; { CAH_9'354<18 October>.}

{21 October -R} Cicero informs the senate of the seriousness of the threat from Catilina, and it passes the Ultimate Decree.
* Read Sallust's account
@ #Cic:Cat_1'4, '7; +Sall:Cat_29'1-3;* +Plut:Cic_15'3-4; +DioCass_37.31'1-2; { CAH_9'354; OCD_cic.}

ETR {27 October -R} Manlius collects an army and openly starts a revolt in Etruria.
@ #Cic:Cat_1'7; #Sall:Cat_30'1; { CAH_9'354.}

ROM L.Saenius reports Manlius' revolt to the senate; Q.Metellus and others are sent out to restore order in various parts of Italy.
* Read Sallust's account
@ Cic:Cat_2'26; +Sall:Cat_30'1-31'3;* +Plut:Cic_16'1; +DioCass_37.31'3, 33'4; { OCD_met.}

Catilina agrees to stay at the house of Metellus, in order to free himself from suspicion.
* Read Dio's account
@ Cic:Cat_1'19; +DioCass_37.32'1-2.*

PAL Pompeius appoints Hyrcanus to be high priest and ruler of the Jews.
* Read Josephus' account
@ Joseph:BJ_1'153, ~:AJ_14'73,* 15'180, 20'244-245; Flor_1.40'30; +DioCass_37.16'4; Euseb:HistEc_1.6'6; [Euseb]:Chron_129;(↓) Sulpit_2'26; August:DeCiv_18'45;(↓↓) +Oros_6.6'4; ChronPasc_453'B; { OCD_hasmoneans.}

Pompeius imposes Roman control over Judaea, and takes away Aristobulus as a prisoner.
* Read Josephus' account
@ Strab_16'765;(2.46) Joseph:BJ_1'154-157, ~:AJ_14'74-78,* :Ap_2'134; Euseb:HistEc_1.6'6; Hieron:Chron_1950; AmmMarc_14.8'12; Sulpit_2'26; August:DeCiv_18'45;(↓↓) ChronPasc_453'B; { CAH_9'261.}

SYR Pompeius leaves Scaurus to be governor of Syria.
* Read Josephus' account
@ Joseph:BJ_1'157,* ~:AJ_14'79; Appian:Syr_51, :BCiv_5'10; { CAH_9'262; DPRR.}

ROM {1 November -R} Catilina's supporters make an abortive attack on Praeneste.
@ #Cic:Cat_1'8.

L.Paullus prepares to prosecute Catilina.
* Read Sallust's account
@ +Sall:Cat_31'4;* +DioCass_37.31'3; Schol:Bob_149.L

{6 November -R} Catilina and the other conspirators meet at Laeca's house.
* Read Sallust's account
@ #Cic:Cat_1'8-9, 2'12-13, :Sull_52; +Sall:Cat_27'3-28'1;* +DioCass_37.32'3-33'1.

{7 November -R} C.Cornelius and L.Vargunteius fail in an attempt to kill Cicero at his home.
@ #Cic:Cat_1'9-10, 4'2, :Mur_79, :Sull_52; +Sall:Cat_28'2-3.

{8 November -R} Cicero speaks in the senate against Catilina; Catilina leaves Rome.
@ Cic:Cat_1'1-33, 2'12-13, 3'17, :Mur_6, +:Att_2.1'3, :Pis_5; +Sall:Cat_31'5-32'2; Diod_40.5a'1; [Liv]:Per_102; +Vell_2.34'3-4; ValMax_9.11'3; Plut:CatMin_22'1-2, +:Cic_16'3-4, :Caes_7'6; Flor_2.12'7; +Appian:BCiv_2'3; +DioCass_37.33'1-2; { CAH_9'355; OCD_cat.}

{9 November -R} Document: Cic:Cat_2, Cicero's second speech against Catilina, to an assembly of the people.
@ #Cic:Att_2.1'3.

ETR C.Manlius sends envoys to Marcius Rex.
@ +Sall:Cat_32'3-34'1; { CAH_9'354.}

Catilina sends a letter to Catulus.
@ +Sall:Cat_34'2-35'6.

Catilina joins Manlius; Antonius is appointed as general against them.
* Read Sallust's account
@ +Sall:Cat_36'1-3;* +Plut:Cic_16'4; Flor_2.12'8; +Appian:BCiv_2'3;(↓) +DioCass_37.33'2-3; { CAH_9'355; OCD_a.}

ROM Fulvius, Clodius and others leave Rome with the intention of joining Catilina.
* Read Sallust's account
@ Sall:Cat_36'4-37'2,* 39'3-5; ValMax_5.8'5; +Ascon_50.L

Cato prosecutes the consul-elect Murena, who is defended by Cicero.
* Read Cicero's account
@ Cic:Mur_1-90,* :Flac_98, :Dom_134, :Fin_4'74; +Plut:CatMin_21'3-10, 28'3, :Cic_35'3, 50'5, :Mor_91'D; Schol:Bob_151;L { CAH_9'355-356; OCD_m.}

The conspirators contact the envoys of the Allobroges through P.Umbrenus.
* Read Sallust's account
@ Cic:Cat_4'2, :Dom_134; +Sall:Cat_39'6-41'5;* Hor:Epod_16'6; Quint_5.10'30; +Plut:Cic_18'3-4; Flor_2.12'8-9; +Appian:BCiv_2'4; +DioCass_37.34'1.

ETR Q.Metellus and others arrest Catilina's agents throughout Italy.
* Read Sallust's account
@ Cic:Fam_5.2'1, :Sest_9-11; +Sall:Cat_42'1-3;* Flor_2.12'9.

BOS Pompeius allows Pharnaces to become king of Bosporus.
* Read Appian's account
@ Appian:Mith_113,* 120;(↓) +DioCass_37.14'2; { CAH_9'265; OCD_pharn.}

PON Mithridates' body is sent to Pompeius.
@ ~Plut:Pomp_42'3-6.

Pompeius returns towards Rome via Pontus.
* Read Dio's account
@ Joseph:BJ_1'157-158, ~:AJ_14'79; +DioCass_37.20'1-2;* Eutrop_6.14'2.

?? Pompeius investigates the trade routes to India.
@ Plin:HN_6'52.

ROM Cethegus forms another plot to murder Cicero, as part of a general insurrection in Rome.
* Read Sallust's account
@ +Sall:Cat_43'1-4;* Diod_40.5'1; Lucan_2'541-543; Plut:CatMin_22'3, +:Cic_16'2, 17'1, 17'4-18'2; Juvenal_8'231-244; +Appian:BCiv_2'3.(↓)

{2 December -R} The envoys of the Allobroges are arrested on the Milvian bridge, along with T.Volturcius, one of the conspirators.
* Read Cicero's account
@ #Cic:Cat_3'4-6,* :Flac_102, +:Pis_5, :Planc_90; +Sall:Cat_44'1-46'5; +Plut:Cic_18'4-5; +Appian:BCiv_2'4; +DioCass_37.34'2; Schol:Bob_107;L { CAH_9'356; OCD_cat.}

{3 December -R} The Allobroges appear before the senate; Lentulus resigns from his position as praetor, and a thanksgiving is decreed for the suppression of the conspiracy.
* Read Cicero's account
@ Cic:Cat_3'1-29,* 4'5, '13, :Sull_27, 36-45, +:Att_2.1'3, +:Pis_6, :Phil_2'12-13, '17; +Sall:Cat_46'6-48'2, 52'36; +Plut:Cic_19'1-20'2; +Appian:BCiv_2'4, '5; +DioCass_37.34'2-4, 36'3; Schol:Bob_83;L { CAH_9'356-357.}

{4 December -R} The senate gives rewards to the Allobroges for their help; L.Tarquinius implicates Crassus in the conspiracy.
* Read Sallust's account
@ #Cic:Cat_4'5; #Sall:Cat_48'3-50'1;* Plut:Crass_13'2; +DioCass_37.35'1-2.

{5 December -R} Following a debate in the senate, the leading conspirators are executed.
* Read Cicero's account
@ Cic:Cat_4'1-24,* :Sull_33, #:Att_1.19'6, +2.1'3, +12.21'1, :Flac_102-103, :Phil_2'17; +Sall:Cat_50'1-55'6; +Vell_2.34'4-35'4; Plut:CatMin_22'4-24'4, +:Cic_20'3-22'5, :Brut_5'2-4, :Caes_7'7-8'7, :Ant_2'1-3; Suet:Caes_14'1-2; Flor_2.12'10-11; +Appian:BCiv_2'5-6; +DioCass_37.35'3-36'3, 38.17'1-2, 46.20'2-21'2; +Eutrop_6.15'1; { CAH_9'357; OCD_cicero.}

Cicero is given the title "parens patriae", by either Catulus or Cato.
* Read Cicero's account
@ +Cic:Pis_6;* Plin:HN_7'117; Plut:Cic_23'3; Appian:BCiv_2'7; { CAH_9'357.}

ETR Catilina avoids battle with Antonius, and awaits the outcome of events at Rome.
* Read Sallust's account
@ +Sall:Cat_56'1-5;* DioCass_37.39'1.

ROM The search for other conspirators continues at Rome.
* Read Suetonius' account
@ Suet:Caes_17'1-2;* +DioCass_37.36'3-4.

Sestius uses his army to prevent the new tribunes from fomenting more unrest.
@ +Cic:Sest_11-12.

EGY {Choiak - E = December} Document: SelPap_1.55 (POxy_1664), an agreement between Moschion and his uncles.

ROM {29 December -R} The tribune Metellus Nepos attempts to prevent Cicero from making a statement at the end of his year as consul.
* Read Cicero's account
@ Cic:Fam_5.2'7-8,* +:Pis_6-7, :Att_6.1'22; +Ascon_6;L +Plut:Cic_23'1-2; #DioCass_37.38'1-2; Schol:Bob_82,L 127;L { CAH_9'357-358.}

SYR << Antiochus is killed by the Arabs but Philippus, another Seleucid prince, escapes.
@ Diod_40.1a'1, 1b'1; { Green_658-659.}

ROM ++ General comments on the career of the textual critic Asclepiades of Myrleia.
@ Suda_A'4173; { ~OCD_a; the chronology in Suda is confused - the entry may be about two different men.}

PON ?? Asclepiades of Prusa dies in old age after a distinguished career as a doctor.
@ Plin:HN_7'124, 26'12-20,L 29'6;L Apul:Flor_19; { Asclepiades was a contemporary of Mithridates.}

ITA == The inhabitants of Puteoli complain to Cicero about the behaviour of the quaestor Vatinius.
@ +Cic:Vat_12; Schol:Bob_145;L { DPRR.}

ROM == L.Flaccus wins approval for his conduct as praetor urbanus.
@ Cic:Flac_6; { OCD_f; DPRR.}

Document: Cic:Fam_13.76, a letter of commendation for C.Valgius Hippianus.

== The grammarian L.Orbilius Pupillus arrives in Rome.
@ +Suet:Gram_9; { OCD_o.}

++ The outstanding writers of this period include Cicero, Caesar, Sallustius, Lucretius and Catullus.
@ Vell_2.36'2.

<< The birth of M.Agrippa.
@ ~Plin:HN_7'45-46; { OCD_a.}

== General comments on the consulship of Cicero, and the failure of Catilina's conspiracy.
* Read Cicero's account
@ Cic:Sull_15-17,* 34, 53-66, 70-71, :Cael_15, :Flac_1, 95-97, :Pis_7, 14-16, :Phil_2'11-20; Verg:Aen_8'668-669; Ascon_82;L (↓) Plin:HN_33'34; Juvenal_10'122; Plut:Mor_797'D.