Cataline's Notorious Character and Early Ambitions

Cataline, a figure known for his scandalous reputation during the Roman Republic, was a longtime rival of Cicero and sought the Consulship through force. His character and involvement in the Social Wars of Rome highlighted the dysfunction of the Senate and the Republican system. The scholarship debates whether his actions were part of a coherent conspiracy or mere political rumblings at the Republic's end, making it a significant event due to the battle between Romans, classifying as a civil war.