Beyond Athens: Parrhesia and the Roman Republic

Building upon the genealogy of parrhesia and its networked effects, the focus for parrhesiastic action shifts to the Roman Republic and the concept of libertas. Parrhesia does not have a direct Latin equivalent term, so both libertas and licentia are used in translations for the word “parrhesia,” which is one of the ways that this concept was lost, confused, or misunderstood historically. Using the classical parrhesiastic orators from Athens (Pericles, Isocrates, and especially Demosthenes) as inspiration, Cicero was known for his outspoken promotion of republican values, even when speaking out came at the price of his life. Although his outspoken stand against autocracy was ultimately “unsuccessful” during his lifetime, because of the networked effects of parrhesia across time and place, Cicero’s actions would continue to inspire resistance to tyranny in other future contexts. Cicero’s way of enacting parrhesia, as both a politician and a citizen who was prepared to take risks for the good of his community, demonstrates his continuation of the parrhesiastic tradition inspired by Athenian democracy.