FORM, INTENT, AND THE FRAGMENTARY ROMAN HISTORIANS 240 to 63 B.C.E. By GERTRUDE HARRINGTON BECKER A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2008 1 2008 Gertrude Harrington Becker 2 To Andy 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Many have helped me on my journey through the long Ph.D. process. Writing is often a lonely and isolating task but I was lucky never to feel alone. For that I owe thanks to a multitude of friends who cheered me, colleagues who read my work, my department (and Dean) at Virginia Tech which allowed me time off to write, and parents who supported my every step. I also thank the many women who showed me it was possible to complete schooling and a Ph.D. later in life, in particular my mother, Trudy Harrington, and my mother-in-law, Judith Becker. Above all, I thank my family: my children, Matt, Tim, and Trudy for their regular brilliance; and my husband, Andy, who is my center, cornerstone, and rock, this year, the past 21 years, and more to come. 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...............................................................................................................4 ABSTRACT .....................................................................................................................................7 1 EARLY ROMAN HISTORIOGRAPHY: PAST AND PRESENT .........................................9 2 FOUNDERS AND FOLLOWERS: EARLY ROMAN ANNALISTS IN GREEK ..............37 Annales and Annalists .............................................................................................................37 Fabius Pictor ...........................................................................................................................48 Lucius Cincius Alimentus .......................................................................................................54 Aulus Postumius Albinus .......................................................................................................57 Gaius Acilius ..........................................................................................................................62 3 ADAPTERS: THE LATIN ANNALISTS OF THE SECOND CENTURY ..........................66 Lucius Cassius Hemina ...........................................................................................................67 Lucius Calpurnius Piso ...........................................................................................................75 Sempronius Tuditanus ............................................................................................................84 Cnaeus Gellius ........................................................................................................................87 4 REVIVALISTS: ANNALISTS OF THE FIRST CENTURY ................................................92 Quintus Claudius Quadrigarius ...............................................................................................93 Valerius Antias .....................................................................................................................101 Licinius Macer ......................................................................................................................110 5 INNOVATORS IN ALTERNATIVE FORMS: CONTEMPORARY HISTORY, RES GESTAE, MONOGRAPHS, COMMENTARII .....................................................................118 Caius Fannius ........................................................................................................................119 Sempronius Asellio ...............................................................................................................124 Porcius Cato Censorius .........................................................................................................127 Lucius Coelius Antipater ......................................................................................................133 Marcus Aemilius Scaurus .....................................................................................................141 Publius Rutilius Rufus ..........................................................................................................143 Quintus Lutatius Catulus ......................................................................................................146 Lucius Cornelius Sulla ..........................................................................................................149 Lucius Cornelius Sisenna .....................................................................................................153 6 CONCLUSION .....................................................................................................................160 APPENDIX: CATALOGUE OF FRAGMENTARY ROMAN HISTORIANS .........................173 5 Fabius Pictor .........................................................................................................................173 Lucius Cincius Alimentus .....................................................................................................173 Marcus Porcius Cato Censorius ............................................................................................174 Aulus Postumius Albinus .....................................................................................................174 Gaius Acilius ........................................................................................................................174 Lucius Cassius Hemina .........................................................................................................174 Lucius Calpurnius Piso Frugi ...............................................................................................175 Q. Fabius Maximus Servilianus ............................................................................................175 Sempronius Asellio ...............................................................................................................175 Sempronius Tuditanus ..........................................................................................................175 Vennonius .............................................................................................................................176 Caius Fannius ........................................................................................................................176 Lucius Coelius Antipater ......................................................................................................176 Cnaeus Gellius ......................................................................................................................177 Marcus Aemilius Scaurus .....................................................................................................177 Publius Rutilius Rufus ..........................................................................................................177 Quintus Lutatius Catulus ......................................................................................................177 Lucius Cornelius Sulla ..........................................................................................................178 Quintus Claudius Quadrigarius .............................................................................................178 Valerius Antias .....................................................................................................................178 Lucius Cornelius Sisenna .....................................................................................................179 Licinius Macer ......................................................................................................................179 BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................................180 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH .......................................................................................................199 6 Abstract of Dissertation Presented to the Graduate School of the University of Florida in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy FORM, INTENT, AND THE FRAGMENTARY ROMAN HISTORIANS 240 to 63 B.C.E. By Gertrude Harrington Becker August 2008 Chair: Victoria Pagán Major: Classical Studies In de Oratore (2.51-52), Antonius described the origins of Roman history—the earliest histories were compilations of annales recorded by the chief priest, and the historians were annalists. Despite Antonius‘ comments, however, not all historians in the Roman Republic were annalists. On the contrary, from the end of the First Punic War (240 B.C.E.) to the time of Cicero‘s consulship (63 B.C.E.), Roman historians used a variety of forms to write their history. This study undertakes an examination of those forms and their authors, both to assess intent and motivations, and to consider cultural and political contexts. Unfortunately, none of these histories has survived in toto, and for most only a handful of fragments remains. Nonetheless, these fragments preserve intentional statements regarding form and demonstrate a wide range of forms such as annales, res gestae, contemporary history, monographs, and commentarii. Cato, for example, spoke dismissively of annales, with their inclusion of quotidian events from the tabula apud pontificem maximum, such as corn prices or eclipses. Asellio rejected the annalistic form; his history, res gestae, would more properly