What Modern Politicians Should Learn From Cicero

Lessons from ancient Rome’s greatest political speaker

Bust of Cicero, first century AD (Wikimedia Commons — image resized by author)

Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 BCE) was a politician who lived through the fall of the Roman Republic. He is regarded by many as one of the greatest politicians and public speakers of the ancient world.

Luckily for us, Cicero was a keen writer as well. He wrote extensively about politics, philosophy, and oratory. And after two thousand years of history, there’s still plenty that today’s politicians can learn from this legendary statesman.

Self-Reflection is Key

In all walks of life, it can be painful to admit we’re wrong. Too many of us struggle to be introspective and acknowledge our faults.

Politicians are no exception. Cicero believed those striving for political power would benefit from self-reflection:

‘… he should be given almost no other duties than this one: of improving and examining himself continually … furnishing in himself, as it were, a mirror to his fellow-citizens by reason of the supreme excellence of his life and character.’ — On the Republic, Cicero