Marcus Tullius Cicero, perhaps the greatest orator of Ancient Rome, was born on January 3d, 106 B.C. in the town of Arpinium, about 70 miles from Rome. Although his family had achieved some measure of wealth by the time of his birth, none had ever been Senators and they were still considered middle class. His Father did however consider himself to be a man of culture and desired great success for his son. Knowing that this elevation in class could only come in Rome, Cicero's Father sent him there, at a very young age, to study under the great orator Crassus. Once in Rome, Cicero studied philosophy, law, and literature, and had a brief stint in the military, serving under Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo during the Social War from 90 B.C. to 88 B.C. Realizing quickly that he was not a military leader, he returned to his studies and by age 26, began pleading cases. (Marinone, 2004)
             One of his earliest and most notable trials came during the reign of the dictator Sulla. Cicero defended Sextus Roscius, a private citizen accused of murdering his father. During the trial, Cicero argued that Roscius' accusers, Titus Roscius Magnus and Titus Roscius Capito, both relatives of Roscius, were actually guilty of the murder in question. The sensation came when Cicero stated that the murder had been covered up by one of Sulla's freedmen, Chrysogonus, who was rewarded for his efforts by being allowed to purchase the property of the victim for a fraction of its value. This accusation against Chrysogonus was widely seen as an attack on Sulla himself, and would not be the last time that Cicero would speak out against those of higher power. In the end, Roscius was acquitted and Cicero was instantly famous. (Furman, 1992)
             In his next major case, Cicero again found himself at odds with the dictatorship as he criticized Sulla for not allowing citizenship of Rome to the people of Arretium. As this case closed, Cicero traveled to Greece, perhaps to study, ...