Classical tradition and republican ideals for the independence of Chile

This article analyses the influence of the classical tradition, especially that of civic humanism and republican ideals, in the political configuration of Chile as an independent republic during the first decades of the nineteenth century. The study argues that classical authors such as Cicero, Horace, and Virgil influenced the speeches and imagery that nourished the independence projects, offering not only conceptual bases but also moral and political models for the organization of the new nation.