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Civic Humanism (Coluccio Salutati (He used his political role to promote…
Civic Humanism
Coluccio Salutati
Chancellor of Florence
Statesman and scholar
Writer, collector of manuscripts
He used his political role to promote classical learning
Admired Cicero for protecting the public when it was threatened by Caesar
Organized study groups
They would translate Latin texts and distribute them to people
Wrote humanist political treatises (Concerning the Tyrant)
A piece that defended the assassination of Caesar because he thought he was a tyrant
Emergence of Civic Humanism
Political and economic context of Florence, 1250-
The “rediscovery” and circulation of Roman and Greek political writings
The influence of Coluccio Salutati, Leonardo Bruni
Embraced classical learning
Patrician Government
1382-1434
Signoria dominated by merchant elite
Ciompi Revolts (1378-1383
Worker revolts regarding labour agitations in the wool guild
Many fled the city out of fear
Civic Architecture
Urban environment as a place of virtue
Florentine society as “virtuous society”
Buildings reflected influence of classical forms
Very symmetrical
Rounded arches
Economics of Civic Humanism
Civic humanism and “new learning” critical to participate in local governance
A city of wealth merchants and bankers
Civic Virtue
“The Active Life”: A new Christian ethos Cicero model – “to think is to act”
Elements
Life of action = virtuous
Life of action = for the common good
Rhetoric: persuasion to make “right” decisions
Characteristics
Republicanism and the vita active
Writings by civic humanists emphasized the right to self-government
Praised the city
Learning and virtue
Considered a wide literary culture a wise state