The Roman Conquest of Cyprus in the Rhetorical Strategies of Cicero’s De domo sua and Pro Sestio

Abstract

This study explores how the Roman conquest of Cyprus is rhetorically treated by Cicero in two of his speeches, De domo sua and Pro Sestio. It argues that Cicero not only criticizes the actions of Clodius and his compatriots, but presents the conquest of Cyprus as an example of injustice both on the part of Roman foreign policy and of Clodius personally. In this way, Cicero on the one hand hopes to destroy any political aspirations his adversary may have had as a result of the part he played in the expansion of the Roman Republic, while on the other he attempts to besmirch Clodius’ image with traits that could work effectively in combination with other negative elements of his portrayal in the context of a targeted invectiva. Within this framework, the references to Cyprus seem to blend in harmoniously within the context, serve the broader aims of the particular rhetorical speeches and reinforce Cicero’s argumentation with an additional parallel that acts as an exemplum, making the claim that his political adversary is constantly plotting against innocent and peaceful people all the more credible.