PPE 1/2026
Umorzenie długów. Spór Katyliny z Cyceronem
dr hab. Tomasz Banach, prof. AKSiM
Akademia Kultury Społecznej i Medialnej w Toruniu; ORCID: 0000-0003-4347-9114
ABSTRACT
Amortisation of a Debt. The Dispute Between Catiline and Cicero
dr hab. Tomasz Banach, professor at the Academy of Social and Media Culture in Toruń; ORCID: 0000-0003-4347-9114
The purpose of this publication is to present the dispute between Catiline and Cicero concerning the issue of debt relief, which took place in 63 BC. First, the historical background of the conflict between Catiline and the consul Cicero is outlined. Next, the problem of widespread indebtedness in Rome at that time is presented, followed by an analysis of the arguments advanced by the consul in his dispute with Catiline, who had promised debt cancellation. The author concludes that Cicero, as the only thinker of antiquity, so firmly combined the concept of justice with the obligation to fulfil one’s due obligations, and that his argumentation in the dispute with Catiline may be regarded as timeless.
Keywords: amortisation of a debt , Catiline, Consul Cicero, tabulae novae