The socialand political meaning of the concept otium in Cicero’s writings

The article is devoted to the analysis of the social and political concept otium in Cicero’s assessment based on the contextual semantics. The concept otium is used by Cicero, on the one hand, in a political sense - as peace, tranquillity in / outside Rome or as retirement from public affairs (forced or voluntary). On the other hand, otium is a social category and means leisure, free time. In this meaning Cicero’s concept otium means either time for passive cognitive exercises (for example, for studying the Greek philosophical heritage) or time for active cognitive exercises (for example, for writing books).