Which Roman leaders were Catullus’s contemporaries?

Catullus was a contemporary of several prominent Roman statesmen during the late Republic, including Julius Caesar, Pompey the Great, and Cicero.1

While Catullus famously lampooned Caesar, Pompey, and Caesar’s agent Mamurra in his poetry, he also interacted with other political figures of his time. For instance, he served in the retinue of the Roman governor Gaius Memmius during a journey to Bithynia. Additionally, his poetry references individuals such as Marcus Caelius Rufus, a figure also associated with the political and social circles of the era.1

It is important to note that Catullus lived during the Roman Republic and died around 54 BCE; therefore, he predated the era of the Roman emperors, such as Augustus, who began his reign in 27 BCE.12