Catiline's War details the attempt by Lucius Sergius Catilina to overthrow the Roman Republic in 63 BC. Catiline is portrayed as at once heroic and immoral. He intends to gain kingship at any cost. He finally resorts to rebellion and is killed by the Roman army, bringing the rebellion to an end.

The Jugurthine War discusses the war against Jugurtha in Numidia from 112 to 106 BC. Sallust's priority in the Jugurthine War, as with the Catiline Conspiracy, is to use history as a vehicle for his judgement on the slow destruction of Roman morality and politics.

Sallust's writing style differs from the writings of his contemporaries - Caesar and especially Cicero. It is characterised by brevity and by the use of rare words and turns of phrase. As a result, his works are very far from the conversational Latin of his time.