Book Review: Lawless Republic by Josiah Osgood

History has been no friend to democracy, as the results have been, at best, mixed. "The American Experiment" is now 250 years old and has been by far the most successful implementation. France's first try at democracy paved the way for Napoleon. Ancient Athens is the basis for Western democracy; that was based on a period that accounted for less than a century of a much larger history, and ended with a self-inflicted Spartan invasion. And even before the Roman Republic ended with Caesar, it was in constant peril of being overrun by dictators.

Lawless Republic explores the last decades of the Republic through the public life of Cicero. As he begins his public life as a lawyer in the 80s BCE, the Republic is just getting back on track after the dictatorship of Sulla, who conquered Rome in a bloody civil war and then installed his friends and supporters in all the key government positions. While small-r republican systems (which is democracy heavily weighted towards the upper classes) are supposedly back on track during this time, everyone must tread very carefully not to upset Sulla's friends, or, most importantly, the retired Sulla.

The first half of the book is like a John Grisham novel, as Cicero's legal notes for multiple trials survived, allowing us to go through several trials. Through the stories we are able to see how the Roman legal system compares to our legal system, through both similarities (trials in front of judges but decided by juries) and differences (less weight against direct evidence, more weight against hearsay and character witnesses; lawyers encouraged to troll each other relentlessly). Cicero was usually a defender, which in the way the legal system was set up allowed him to rely more on his great oratory skills; however, in his most famous trial he was the prosecutor. Cicero represented the people of Sicily in a trial against Verres, who was not only their governor but also a friend of Sulla's. Cicero tread carefully, but by the time the trial happened also recognized that the time of Sulla's influence had passed. Verres was found guilty and subsequently exiled (to present-day Marseilles, where the seafood at the time was apparently incredible).

Through Cicero's advocacy he was able to rise above his upper-middle class upbringing and became someone who could run for and win public office. He worked his way up from the smaller offices to a governorship to, finally, one of two consuls, the top elected positions in the Republic. During his time in office he discovered another attempt to overrun Rome, headed by someone unhappy with election results, As a consul Cicero was able to convince fellow Senators of the seriousness of the plot, then had several of the captured conspirators put to death.

However, not everyone who was part of the conspiracy was captured, and soon after leaving office some of the conspirators used legal maneuverings and inside relationships to attain elected offices, where they were able to veto legislation as well as gain immunity from prosecution. Now on the outside looking in, Cicero was reduced to groveling outside the Senate (which, weird as it sounds, appears to have been common practice for powerless Senators).

But then Cicero gained a hero - Milo, a fellow Senator who shared Cicero's strong belief in republican government. Milo worked with Cicero in the Senate to keep the republic running. Milo also commanded a legion of gladiators, who he used to fight the gladiators of Clodios, now the leader of the former conspirators, who would fight each other in the public square as well as burn each other's houses down. DEMOCRACY IN ACTION! Net net, Clodios ends up killed and Milo ends up exiled in Marseilles despite Cicero's defense, where he most likely enjoyed the great seafood.

And just as this is ending we get to the First Triumvirate, as elected officials cede their power to the coalition of Pompey, Crassus, and Julius Caesar, who then turn on each other and plunge Rome into the next civil war. WHO'DA THUNK IT?!?! Cicero is torn between his belief in the Republic as it was versus his friendliness with Caesar. He decides to escape Rome during the war, but is invited back once Caesar has won.

Cicero resumes his Senatorial duties, but the Republic has changed. Caesar is taking advantage of his "first citizenship", installing his allies in government roles and sitting in a golden chair in the Senate chambers. This all comes to an end on the ides of March when Caesar is stabbed to death by fellow Senators. Cicero played no part in the stabbing, but notably it is led by Marcus Brutus, Cicero's protege.

Cicero defends the Senators in the courts and hopes the Republic can go back to the way it was. However, Caesar was popular, and several key people opt for revenge. This leads to the Second Triumvirate, comprised of Caesar's nephew Octavian (future Augustus Caesar), his best friend Marc Anthony, and his general Lepidus (who is basically the third Schuyler sister in this coalition). This triumvirate wastes no time plunging into another civil war, but Cicero never sees its conclusion. Now seen as an enemy of Caesar, Cicero finds no safe haven. He attempts to escape Rome via carriage, but is stopped by a legion. In one of the most gentlemanly efforts ever recorded, Cicero sticks his head out the carriage so a soldier could decapitate him much easier. The end.

So, this is a very well-written and informative book - eight out of ten hot dogs - but a bit depressing overall. Worth a read, but try not to think about it too much.