Connecting Cicero with Basel: Lucius Munatius Plancus, Ciceronis discipulus

This article examines the multifaceted connection between Cicero and Lucius Munatius Plancus, highlighting Plancus's dual role as Cicero’s associate and a prominent figure within the Caesarian party, as well as his involvement in all tha key moments of the so called "Roman Revolution". The study also explores the humanist period, during which Beatus Rhenanus rediscovered Plancus as a quite fitting founder of the city of Basel. This Renaissance narrative, however, had to grapple with Plancus’s somewhat tarnished reputation—a negative portrayal largely shaped by the writings of Velleius Paterculus. The research makes a unique contribution by combining a philological analysis of Plancus’s correspondence with a historical investigation of his political career. It demonstrates how Plancus’s memory was consciously revived during the Renaissance, wheb base was looking for a founder congenial to its new identity as a centre of book production. This desire was particularly felt by the Humanist Beatus Rhenanus, and resulted in the deliberate cultivation of the memory of Lucius Munatius Plancus, a choice determined by the reasonable geographical proximity between Basel and Augusta Raurica, a colony indeed founded by Plancus. Moreover, the study challenges traditional perceptions of Plancus, often dismissed as a "pathological turncoat," by offering a nuanced reevaluation of his character. The article adopts an interdisciplinary methodology. It undertakes a philological analysis of Cicero’s correspondence to investigate the ideological and personal dimensions of their relationship. This is complemented by an examination of epigraphic and literary evidence, situating Plancus within the broader cultural and political contexts of his time. Additionally, the study investigates the Renaissance revival of Plancus through Raffaello Maffei and Beatus Rhenanus. This study offers a threefold impact. First, it enriches Ciceronian studies by providing a deeper understanding of Cicero’s mentorship and its ideological resonance during the late Republic. Second, it contributes to cultural memory studies by showcasing how historical narratives are repurposed to shape local identities, particularly in Renaissance Basel. Third, it provides a significant reevaluation of Plancus, portraying him not merely as a politician and soldier but also as a man of letters and a cultural figure.