num_pages: 384
description: Cornelius Tacitus (ca. 56-ca. 120) became an orator, married in 77 Julius Agricola's daughter before Agricola went to Britain, was quaestor in 81 or 82, a senator under the Flavians &amp; a praetor in 88. After four years' absence he experienced the terrors of Domitian's last years &amp; turned to historical writing. He was a consul in 97. Close friend of the younger Pliny, they successfully prosecuted Marius Priscus. Works: (i) Life &amp; Character of Agricola, written 97/8, interesting because of Agricola's career in Britain. (ii) Germania (98/9), an important description of the geography, anthropology, products, institutions, social life of the German tribes as known to the Romans. (iii) Dialogue on Oratory of unknown date; a lively conversation about the decline of oratory &amp; education. (iv) Histories (probably issued in parts from 105 onwards), a work originally consisting of at least 12 books covering the period 69-96, but only I-IV &amp; part of V survive, dealing in detail with the dramatic years 69-70. (v) Annals, originally covering the period 14-68 (Tiberius, Gaius, Claudius, Nero) &amp; published between 115-ca. 120. Of at least 16 books, there survive I-IV (covering 14-28); a bit of V &amp; all VI (31-37); part of XI (from 47); XII-XV &amp; part of XVI (to 66). Tacitus is renowned for his development of a pregnant concise style, character study &amp; psychological analysis, &amp; for the often terrible story which he brilliantly tells. As a historian of the early Roman empire he is paramount. The Loeb Classical Library edition is in five volumes.
language: Multiple languages
title: Agricola / Germania / Dialogue on Oratory
titlecomplete: Agricola / Germania / Dialogue on Oratory
characters: Gnaeus Julius Agricola
genres: Audiobook, Germany, Ancient History, Classics, Nonfiction, History
ratings_count: 179
publisher: Harvard University Press