Pro Archia. Post Reditum in Senatu. Post Reditum ad Quirites. De Domo Sua. De Haruspicum Responsis. Pro Plancio

Pro Archia. Post Reditum in Senatu. Post Reditum ad Quirites. De Domo Sua. De Haruspicum Responsis. Pro Plancio by Cicero captures the essence of a dramatic era in Roman history. Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 BCE) was a prominent Roman lawyer, orator, politician, and philosopher. We know more about him than any other Roman figure, as he lived through an eventful period that witnessed the rise, dictatorship, and eventual demise of Julius Caesar amidst a crumbling republic.

Cicero's political speeches and correspondence vividly illustrate the excitement, tension, and intrigue of Roman politics, as well as his involvement in the upheaval of the time. Out of approximately 106 speeches he delivered—whether addressing the Roman populace and Senate on political matters or before jurors on judicial issues—58 have survived, albeit some incompletely.

In the fourteenth century, Petrarch and other Italian humanists uncovered manuscripts containing over 900 letters, more than 800 of which were penned by Cicero himself, while nearly 100 were addressed to him by others. These letters provide a remarkable insight into Cicero, particularly as most were not intended for publication.

In addition to his speeches and letters, six rhetorical works of Cicero survive, along with another known only in fragments. His philosophical contributions include seven significant extant compositions, alongside several others that are now lost. Cicero also dabbled in poetry, producing both original works and translations from Greek.

The Loeb Classical Library edition of Cicero's works is spread across twenty-nine volumes, offering a comprehensive collection of this influential Roman's contributions to literature and philosophy.