Ciceronian Invectives

Emotions, Configurations, and Reactions

edited by Philipp Geitner, Dennis Pausch, Christoph Schwameis and Rainer Wierzcholowski

Book cover: Ciceronian Invectives

Extent: 260 pages

Publisher: Mohr Siebeck

Subjects: Classical Studies, Religious Studies, Social Sciences 

Series: Emotions in Antiquity

Series volume number: 5

Language: English

Hardback (Published)

(February 2025)

ISBN: 9783161610356

6.06 x 9.09 inches

Price: $74.00

In stock

Political communication in the late Roman Republic was highly coloured by invective, with its linguistic arsenal of disparaging remarks, shaming, and related phenomena. This volume takes a fresh look at invective practices reflected in and relating to the verbal tirades delivered by Cicero.


Political communication in the late Roman Republic was highly coloured by rhetorical repertoires featuring disparagement, shaming, and other related phenomena. One of the most prolific perpetrators of such verbal conduct – known as invective – was the orator and statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC). This volume, which gathers the contributions delivered during the conference “Ciceronian Invective. Emotions, Reactions, Performance”, held at Dresden’s Technische Universitat in 2020, takes a fresh look at the practices reflected in and relating to Cicero’s tirades. By comprehending invective not only as a mere literary genre, but also as a practice embedded in social and political contexts, the aim is to arrive at a deeper understanding of Ciceronian invective. The emotions that such use of language aroused, its historical and rhetorical configurations, and the reactions of those offended by it or on its receiving end as an audience are all considered.

  • Edited by Philipp Geitner
  • Edited by Dennis Pausch
  • Edited by Christoph Schwameis
  • Edited by Rainer Wierzcholowski