Transcript Titus Livius

Titus Livius
59 BCE – 17 CE
Titus Livius (Livy)
background
Born in Padua, Cisalpine Gaul, became part of
Italy by Iulius Caesar in 49 BCE; inhabitants
received Roman citizenship; elite already
Romanized for longer period
 Majority of Romans did not consider it ‘really
Roman’ but very provincial
 Provincial culture very conservative, closer to
earlier Italian culture;
 Very fond of traditional Roman values; did not
experience civil wars to same extent as Italy and
Rome
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Titus Livius
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Have little information about his life
Well educated in Padua, in history, oratory,
philosophy
Began to write before he came to Rome
Moved to Rome at end of civil war, 29 BCE
No public career we know of
he may have revealed more about himself in his
history covering his own time – last 150 years
of his history are lost
Retired back to Padua where he died
Livy and Augustus
Was the first historian of the Imperial period
 Friend of Augustus, but not one of the
Augustan writers under patronage of
Maecenas
 Maecenas, client of Augustus and patron of
artists, writers, poets.
 Maecenas was commissioned by Augustus to
find and support poets and writers willing to
promote the Augustan ideology; patron of
poets like Horace, Virgil
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Livy’s work
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ab urbe condita. From the founding of Rome
An enormous history in 142 books from the
legendary foundation of Rome to 9 BCE (c. 800
modern pages);
only 35 books survive; still constitute largest
single work in Latin from pre-Christian period
First full-time historian
Livy’s history reflects moderate conservative
political views and conservative moral view that
met approval of Augustus
Recitals of his history not well attended
periochae
Brief ancient summaries survived for 140
books;
 Ab urbe condita: book 1 covers 240 years,
book 2 120 years;
 22 books, 121-142 on triumph and reign
of Augustus, was published at his death in
14 CE
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Livy’s sources
Early books, no reliable sources
Used previous writers; some archaeological
evidence such as monuments and statues
around – tries to link some legends to surviving
monuments
 After 390 BCE more sources available
 Relies on many Greek writers and Roman
annalists,
 As more sources available he is able to
differentiate and argues in favour of one or the
other
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Livy’s Style
Returned to annalistic form
 Year-by-year structure which at times
even divides military campaigns
 While entertaining, it avoids the fantastic
 Early history - traditional legends –
selected from several earlier versions. His
version of the regal period only ¼ of
length of that by Dionysius of
Halicarnassus (c. 70 – 7 BCE)
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Preface
Sets out his purpose
 Nature of book 1
 Links between past and present
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