Lustrum (published in the US as Conspirata) was published by Hutchinson in 2009. The second volume of the Cicero trilogy covers the five-year period from Cicero’s election as consul in 63 BC through his political downfall. The central event is the Catiline conspiracy — the attempted coup by Lucius Sergius Catilina and his followers, which Cicero exposed and suppressed with famous rhetorical performances in the Senate.
But Cicero’s triumph in crushing Catiline contained the seeds of his destruction: he ordered the execution of the conspirators without trial, an act that his enemies — particularly Publius Clodius Pulcher — would use against him. The novel traced the process by which a man who saved the Republic was destroyed by the Republic’s own legal mechanisms.
The Catiline Conspiracy
The Catiline conspiracy is one of the best-documented events of the late Republic, thanks to Cicero’s own speeches and Sallust’s historical account. Harris uses this rich primary material to construct a narrative that is both historically faithful and dramatically compelling. The moral complexity — Cicero saved the Republic through an act that was itself unconstitutional — drives the entire trilogy.
Collecting Lustrum
First edition (Hutchinson, London, 2009): Boards with dust jacket.
Approximate market values:
- UK first edition, fine in jacket: $20–$40
- US first edition (Simon & Schuster): $10–$20
Projected values (2026–2036): Moderate appreciation. Collectors seek the complete Cicero trilogy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does this book have two different titles? Harris’s UK publisher used Lustrum (a Roman term for a five-year period ending with a census), while the US publisher found the title too obscure and changed it to Conspirata. Both editions have identical text. UK first editions under the Lustrum title are generally preferred by collectors.