Prompt Cast
The Catalan Conspiracy: A Plot to Burn Down Rome and Take Control of the Republic
TLDR The Catalan conspiracy was a plot by disgruntled aristocrats in ancient Rome to burn down the city and seize control of the Republic. Led by Lucius Sergius Cataline, the conspiracy was foiled by Cicero, resulting in the suicide of Cataline and further contributing to the Roman Civil War.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
During the end of the Roman Republic, a group of disgruntled aristocrats plotted to burn down Rome and take control of the Republic, known as the Catalan conspiracy, which is often overlooked due to bigger events that occurred before and after.
01:41
Lucius Sergius Cataline, a Roman aristocrat who had incurred serious debt, made an all-out effort to get elected as consul in 63 BC in order to restore honor to his family and solve his problems.
03:09
Cicero, a novus homo and one of the greatest orators in Roman history, became the consul in 63 BC, while Cataline, who had hoped to make money through corruption, lost the election and became furious.
04:37
Cataline, upset about losing the consulship to Cicero, began assembling a group of disgraced senators and heavily indebted individuals to conspire to assassinate senior senators, burn down the city, destroy debt records, and take control of the government, but the plan was leaked to Cicero by the mistress of one of the conspirators.
06:02
Cicero convened the Senate, outlined the plot to assassinate senior senators and burn down the city, but Cataline denied the charges and offered to put himself under house arrest before fleeing the city to meet up with a group of soldiers and plebs assembling north of Rome.
07:24
The Senate intercepted letters from the conspirators to Gaulic leaders, leading to their immediate arrest and execution without trial, despite objections from Julius Caesar.
08:51
The Catiline conspiracy was foiled, leading to the suicide of Catiline and the title of "Father of the Fatherland" bestowed upon Cicero, but ultimately it became one of many issues that led to the next Roman Civil War.
