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M. CORNELIUS FRONTO was a Roman by descent, but of provincial

birth, being native to Cirta, in Numidia. Thence he migrated to

Rome in the reign of Hadrian, and became the most famous

rhetorician of his day. As a pleader and orator he was counted by

his contemporaries hardly inferior to Tully himself, and as a

teacher his aid was sought for the noblest youths of Rome. To him

was entrusted the education of M.

Aurelius and of his colleague L. Verus in their boyhood; and he

was rewarded for his efforts by a seat in the Senate and the

consular rank (A.D. 143). By the exercise of his profession he

became wealthy; and if he speaks of his means as not great,[2] he

must be comparing his wealth with the grandees of Rome, not with

the ordinary citizen.