Final answer:
Cicero was indeed part of the ruling oligarchy in Rome, as a member of the senatorial elite who held high offices such as praetor and consul.
Step-by-step explanation:
True or False: Cicero, the renowned Roman orator, politician, and author, was indeed a part of the ruling oligarchy of Rome during his time. By the late Republic, the ruling class of Rome was no longer purely patrician. Although originally, the patricians were the ruling aristocratic elite and the only ones able to hold public office, by Cicero's day, there was a significant shift in power. Now, powerful noble families and their networks, which included the equestrians who were essentially the business class, controlled the important decisions.
Cicero himself, a senator, belonged to this wider elite group that exerted influence over the Roman Republic's governance. He was an active member of the political class, holding positions such as praetor and consul, which placed him squarely within the upper echelons of Roman political society. As such, it is accurate to say that Cicero was part of the oligarchy that ruled Rome.