Some Remarks on the Res Publica in Cicero

Abstract

In recent decades, modern scholars who interpret the meaning of the concept «res publica» proceed from Cicero’s statement that est ... res publica res populi, that is, «the affair or property of the people». Most of them notes that the famous orator only expressed a common opinion shared by all the citizens of Rome. Moreover, in their opinion, res publica should not be considered as a «state», which is characteristic of previous generations of scientists, but as a value concept associated with a direct expression of the sovereignty of the Roman people, which characterizes the system, the cornerstone of which is law and order. The opposite of res publica is tyrannical rule. At first glance, such an interpretation of res publica seems to bring us closer to Roman realities and makes it possible to abandon the use of modern concepts, which often distort the essence of events and phenomena of the classical period. However, this interpretation raises questions when we are faced with how Cicero’s contemporaries, and he himself, practiced this term. As a result, the author of the article believes that the expression «res publica res populi est» is Cicero’s invention, who intentionally translated the Greek term πόλις by the Latin term res publica, which had a polysemantic character and vague definitions. His interpretation deliberately obscured the meaning of the slogan res publica in the political struggle (the «optimates» spoke only about res publica, while the «populares» used the construction res publica = res populi (plebi)), and on the other hand, such an interpretation was needed in order to with its help, imagine the ideal state system, which is at risk if the tyrant captures power. Actually, according to Cicero, the main characteristic feature of res publica is its opposition to the tyrant’s power, because the latter threatens the existence of the Senate and, accordingly, the prominent position of the «best» people.