S8 Ep1067: The Rise of a New Man and the Trial of Roscius. Guest Author: Josiah Osgood. Marcus Tullius Cicero was born into a non-elite fami

The John Batchelor Show · Jun 29, 2026 · 12m

The Rise of a New Man and the Trial of Roscius. Guest Author: Josiah Osgood. Marcus Tullius Cicero was born into a non-elite family in 106 BCE, making him a "new man" in the Roman Republic. Rising through the political ranks required winning elections that were typically controlled by a small group of powerful families. Cicero gained fame as a masterful orator and defense attorney by navigating the Roman criminal courts, which were often used to target corrupt politicians. These trials were held in the public forum to allow citizens to see justice being served. In his debut criminal case, a…