The Patrician Tribune: Publius Clodius Pulcher

Publius Clodius Pulcher was a prominent political figure during the last years of the Roman Republic. Born into an illustrious patrician family, his early career was sullied by military failures and especially by the scandal that resulted from his allegedly disguising himself as a woman in order to sneak into a forbidden religious ceremony in the hope of seducing Caesar's wife. Clodius survived this disgrace, however, and emerged as a major political force. He renounced his patrician status and was elected tribune of the people. As tribune, he pursued an ambitious legislative agenda, winning the loyalties of the common people of Rome to such a degree that he was soon able to summon forceful, even violent, demonstrations on his own behalf.

The first modern, comprehensive biography of Clodius, The Patrician Tribune traces his career from its earliest stages until its end in 52 B.C., when he was murdered by a political rival. Jeffrey Tatum explores Clodius's political successes, as well as the limitations of his popular strategies, within the broader context of Roman political practices. In the process, Tatum illuminates the relationship between the political contests of Rome's elite and the daily struggles of Rome's urban poor.

Author: W. Jeffrey Tatum
Publisher: University of North Carolina Press
Published: 12/14/2010
Pages: 384
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.10lbs
Size: 9.20h x 5.70w x 0.90d
ISBN: 9780807872062

About the Author
Tatum, W. Jeffrey: - W. Jeffrey Tatum is professor of classics at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.