Sallust: Details on the Historian of Roman Elite and the Republic’s Decline

Living through turbulent times, Sallust witnessed firsthand the moral decay and political corruption that, in his view, eroded the foundations of Rome’s greatness. His major works, The Conspiracy of Catiline and The Jugurthine War, not only recount significant events, but also delve into the deeper causes of Rome’s societal breakdown.

Through a compelling blend of historical narrative and moral philosophy, Sallust captures the ambitions and conflicts that shaped—and ultimately threatened—the Republic. In examining Sallust's work, we look through the eyes of a man who documented Rome’s fall with an eye for both its human flaws and its lost virtues. 

Sallust's Histories: A Scholar Amidst Rome’s Political and Intellectual Upheaval

The half-century from 86 to 35 BCE was one of the most chaotic in Rome's history. During this period, internal conflicts, political violence, and the breakdown of constitutional norms drastically transformed the Roman Republic.

Civil wars saw Romans fighting Romans across Italy and beyond, while the power struggles among influential leaders like Sulla, Marius, Caesar, and Pompey tore the Republic apart. The political landscape of Rome became polarized, with no clear resolution in sight as Octavian and Antony rose as the new opposing forces.

Sallust, born in the 80s BCE and passing away in the mid-30s BCE, lived through the height of this upheaval. His political career placed him at the heart of these historic changes: he denounced Clodius' murder as tribune, served under Caesar in the civil wars, and held a governorship in Africa—a post that tainted his political prospects.