Defending Cicero's Legacy

Why the famous Roman orator's reputation has been so tarnished, and why it shouldn't be any longer.

Mapping the politics of ancient figures to the modern understanding of the world is an exercise in pure futility. This does not stop the politically devious from claiming an ideological lineage that dates back to antiquity, however. Many political reputations have been tarnished, by no fault of their own, based on modern receptions and tricky readings o…