In Verrem

• Gaius Verres was a high ranking Preator in the city of Rome
• Verres then served as a commander in Sicily for three years
• Cicero indicted him for provincial extortion directly after his return
• The Romans had just concluded a dangerous slave war led by the ex-gladiator Spartacus
• Sicily had seen two really dangerous slave wars in the previous two generations, and had Spartacus succeeded in crossing over to the island and kindling a third one, it would have been really serious for the Romans
• The war with Spartacus and the pirates (who were to a certain extent collaborating) had endangered vital seaborne food imports to Rome.
• There were loud cries for judicial reform in Rome in the year 70
• Verres had a father who was a senator, and he was well connected with powerful patrons
• Verres had thrown successful games in Rome, and even more importantly, delivered grain from Sicily very effectively to Rome’s people
• Verres had reached the minimum age requirement for the consulship in 70bc
• Cicero's motivations for his prosecution were his previous service as a junior magistrate in Sicily and his oratorical rivalry with (the significantly senior) Q. Hortensius
• if Cicero won this case and had Verres condemned, he could acquire Verres' more senior speaking place in the Senate
• in Cicero's elaborate attack on Verres was to pave the way for his own praetorship, and stop Verres’ consular bid.
• Cicero had was to secure the right to prosecute Verres. His competition was Verres' ex-subordinate Q. Caecilius Niger, a native of Sicily
• Cicero was given 70 days to get evidence but was to secure the right to prosecute Verres. His competition was Verres' ex-subordinate (from 73) Q. Caecilius Niger, a native of Sicily