Tacitus
Life of Cornelius Tacitus
• We do not know who his parents where,
year of birth or death or praenomen
• Born c. A.D. 56 of Gallic or North Italian
stock
• Began his official career under Vespasian
(69-79 A.D.)
• Married Agricola’s daughter in 77 and
became praetor in 88
Life of Cornelius Tacitus continued
• Away from Rome when Agricola died in 93
• Returned to witness last years of Domitian’s
savagery
• Consul suffectus in 97
• Delivered funeral oration over Verginius
Rufus
• In 100 led Pliny in prosecuting Marius
Priscus for extortion
Life of Cornelius Tacitus continued
• May have governed a military province
• Was proconsul in Asia (Turkey) in 112/113
• Not known whether he lived to finish the
Annales
• Died sometime after 115 A.D.
From MS. of Agricola
Tacitus’ Writings: Agricola
• Agricola published in 98 A.D. describes life
of his father-in-law
• Most of it concerns Agricola’s achievements
in Britain
• A laudatio of Agricola and an apology for
the loyal administrator under Domitian
Tacitus’ Writings: Germania
• Also published in 98 A.D.
• Description of the tribes north of the Rhine and
the Danube
• An ethnological treatise
• Themes include that of the noble savage,
contrasting the Germans with the corrupt Romans
• Also writes of the constant threat to the Empire
that they pose
Tacitus’ writings: Dialogus
• Discusses decline of
Roman oratory
• Shows mastery of
argument and
characterization
• May be dated to
around 100
Tacitus’ Writings: Histories
• No manuscript title
• Begins in 69 and presumably ends with
Domitian’s assassination in 96 A.D.
• Four books and parts of fifth survive
• Give a comprehensive picture of Civil War,
full of intrigue and incompetent rulers
Tacitus’ Writings: Annales
• History of the Julio-Claudian emperors after death
of Augustus (14 A.D.)
• We know of 16 books
• Arranged annalistically by year
• Each year contains sections on home and
provincial affairs
• Tacitus used as his sources historical works now
lost, on public records, and on own experience
Tacitus’ Writings: Annales
• Tacitus reacts against the Principate and
looks back longingly at “free” institutions
of the Republic
• Power centered in one man blunted the
moral sense of even experienced rulers
• The Emperors neglected military glory
• Laments lack of independence and courage
of most nobles and senators
Portrait Bust of Nero
Annales continued
• Views wrath of the gods working to punish
• “His task is gloomy, to record the
suspicions of Tiberius, played upon by
informers; Claudius the helpless tool of
freedmen or wives; the vanity and vice of
Nero - all resulting in baseless accusations
and judicial murders.” OCD
Tacitus’ Style
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Vocabulary large and varied
Words grouped in strange and striking order
Uses new word forms and echoes of poetry
Prefers shortness of sentences and rapidity
to periodic structure
• Omits verbs, compresses
• Intensity and brevity are characteristic of
his style
Tacitus’ Style continued
• Employs an elevated style, powerful style
• Suits his belief in dignity and moral effect
of history
• Keen sense of irony
The Manuscript Tradition
• Hangs on a slender thread
• Was little read in succeeding centuries
• Reappears in 9th Century among monks at
Fulda
• We depend upon one manuscript for Annals
1-6 (discovered about 1510)
• And one for Annals 11-16 and Histories 1-5
A Short Biography of the Emperor Nero
Nero’s Reign
• Emperor Claudius had married his niece
Agrippina
• She persuaded him in 50 to adopt her son
Nero
• Claudius died in 54, probably poisoned by
Agrippina
• Nero succeeded him and reigned until 68
Nero’s Reign
• Seneca was appointed tutor to young Nero
and Burrus made prefect of Praetorian
Guard
• With Nero’s succession in 54 Seneca
became political advisor
• First 8 years empire enjoyed good
governemnt
• Death of Burrus and retirement of Seneca in
62 left Nero uncontrolled
Nero and Agrippina in an unflattering
19th century engraving
Nero’s Reign
• Otho, friend of Nero, encouraged him to
free himself from his imperious mother
• Poppea, Otho’s ambitious wife, wished to
marry Nero
• She planned to eliminate both Agrippina
and Nero’s wife, Octavia
• In 59 A.D. Nero had Agrippina murdered
Portrait Bust of Poppea A.D. 54-68
Nero’s Reign continued
• Octavia was divorced and murdered
• Poppea married Nero and in 63 she married him
and bore him a daughter who soon died
• Poppea died in 65
• Conspiracy to assassinate him and make
Calpurnius Piso emperor was betrayed in 65
• Piso and his accomplices were executed or
committed suicide
• This included Seneca and Petronius
Peter Paul Rubens. The Death of Seneca.
c.1615
Nero’s death in 68 A.D.
• Praetorians proclaimed Galba emperor and
deserted Nero
• He fled from Rome and committed suicide