T Ancient authors 297 is unknown. His Attic Nights is a speeches for the law courts, collection of essays on a variety political speeches, philosophical ANCIENT AUTHORS of topics, based on his reading of essays, and personal letters to Apicius: (fourth century AD) is the Greek and Roman writers and the friends and family. name traditionally given to the lectures and conversations he had Columella: Lucius Iunius author of a collection of recipes, heard. The title Attic Nights refers Moderatus Columella (wrote c.AD de Re Coquinaria (On the Art of to Attica, the district in Greece 60–65) was born at Gades (modern Cooking). Marcus Gavius Apicius around Athens, where Gellius was Cadiz) in Spain and served in the was a gourmet who lived in the living when he wrote the book. Roman army in Syria. He wrote a early first centuryAD and wrote Cassius Dio (also Dio Cassius): treatise on farming, de Re Rustica about sauces. Seneca says that he Cassius Dio Cocceianus (c.AD (On Farming). claimed to have created a scientia 150–235) was born in Bithynia. He popīnae (snack bar cuisine). Diodorus Siculus: Diodorus had a political career as a consul (wrote c.60–30 BC) was a Greek Appian: Appianos (late first in Rome and governor of the from Sicily who wrote a history of century AD–AD 160s) was born in provinces of Africa and Dalmatia. the world centered on Rome, from Alexandria, in Egypt, and practiced His history of Rome, written in legendary beginnings to 54 BC. as a lawyer in Rome. His history of Greek, covers the period from Much of the original forty books Rome is written in Greek. Aeneas’ arrival in Italy to AD 229. survives only in fragments. He Apuleius: Lucius Apuleius (c.AD Cato: Marcus Porcius Cato (234– wrote in Greek. 155) was born in Africa and lived 139 BC) was born at Tusculum, a Dionysius of Halicarnassus: in Carthage. He was the author town about 16 miles from Rome. Dionysius (c.60 BC–some time of the Metamorphoses, also known He had a distinguished military after 7 BC) was a Greek historian as The Golden Ass, a novel about and political career, reaching from Halicarnassus in Asia Minor the adventures of a young man the consulship and the office of (modern Bodrum in Turkey). He who is turned into an ass. He censor, despite not being born lived in Rome for many years gave lectures on philosophy and a into a senatorial family. He wrote from about 30 BC. His history of collection of excerpts from these a book on farming, de Agri Cultura Rome, Roman Antiquities, is written survives, called Florida (Anthology). (On Agriculture). Cato was famous in Greek. It started with Rome’s for his strictness and his criticism BC AD legendary beginnings and went Augustus: Augustus (63 – of contemporary morality. He up to 264 BC, the First Punic War. 14) was born Gaius Octavius, wanted to return to the old Roman Much of it is lost, and the surviving and became Gaius Iulius Caesar values of frugality and simplicity. Octavianus when he was adopted part finishes in 441BC . by his great-uncle, Julius Caesar. Catullus: Gaius Valerius Catullus Frontinus: Sextus Iulius Frontinus He was known by the title (c.84–54 BC) was born in Verona, in (c.AD 30–104) had a distinguished Augustus after 27 BC when he northern Italy, in a wealthy family. career as consul and governor of became Rome’s first emperor. Very little is known about his life. Britain. After becoming supervisor The Res Gestae Divi Augusti (Deeds of He came to Rome as a young of the water supply (cūrātor the Divine Augustus) is an account man and spent some time in the aquārum) in Rome in AD 97, he of the career of Augustus written province of Bithynia on the staff of wrote an account of the city’s in the first person. Augustus left the governor. He is best known for aqueducts and water supply, On the document with his will, with his love poems. the Waters of Rome, as a handbook instructions to the Senate to set Cicero: Marcus Tullius Cicero for his successors. up the text as an inscription. It (106–43 BC) was a politician and was engraved on a pair of bronze Horace: Quintus Horatius Flaccus lawyer, who was a leading figure pillars in front of Augustus’ tomb (65–8 BC) was born in Apulia, in the in events at the end of the Roman in the Campus Martius. The south of Italy. He was of humble Republic. He was born in a town original has not survived, but origins, the son of a freedman not far from Rome and came copies were carved in stone on who worked as a collector of to Rome to study. Although not monuments and temples all over payments at auctions. His father born into the senatorial class, he the Roman Empire, and parts of sent him to Rome and Athens to reached the highest office of state, these have survived. be educated, and he became one the consulship. He was executed of the most celebrated poets of Aulus Gellius: Aulus Gellius on the orders of Mark Antony his day. Maecenas, the friend and (c.AD 130–180) lived in Rome and during the unrest following the adviser of Emperor Augustus, was Athens, although his birthplace assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 his patron. His most famous works BC. His surviving writings include T 298 Ancient authors are the Odes, short poems on a Minucius: Marcus Minucius Felix vulgar extravagance and bad taste variety of subjects, but he also (early third century AD) was a of Trimalchio, and his ostentatious wrote Epodes, Satires, and Epistles. Christian who wrote a defense display of wealth. of Christianity, Octavius, in the Julius Caesar: Gaius Iulius Plautus: Titus Maccius Plautus form of a discussion between two Caesar (100–44 BC), the general, (c.250–184 BC) wrote comedies Christian converts, Minucius and politician, and dictator, belonged which were based on Greek Octavius, and Caecilius, a pagan. to an aristocratic Roman family. originals, adapted for a Roman Minucius defends Christianity He was assassinated on the audience, but set in Greece. against the criticisms of Caecilius, Ides (15th) of March 44 BC, by a and at the end Caecilius is Pliny the Elder: Gaius Plinius group of senators who feared converted. Secundus (AD 23/24–79) was born that he intended to put an end at Comum (modern Como) in to the republican system of Ovid: Publius Ovidius Naso (43 BC– northern Italy. He is known as government and keep supreme AD 17) was born in a town near Pliny the Elder to distinguish him power for himself and his family. Rome and educated in the city. from his nephew, known as Pliny Caesar wrote an account of his He abandoned a public career to the Younger. He had a career in campaigns in Gaul and Britain become a poet. Emperor Augustus military and government service, (58–52 BC), the Commentaries (also banished him to Tomi on the serving as procurator in several known as the Gallic Wars). They Black Sea (in modern Romania). provinces before his final post are written in the third person, as According to Ovid, there were as commander of the fleet at if to give an objective account of two reasons for his exile, carmen Misenum in Italy. He dedicated events. (a poem) and error (a mistake). his spare time to research and The poem was Ars Amatoria Juvenal: Decius Iunius Iuvenalis writing, and among his many (The Art of Love), advice on how (early second century AD) was learned works is his Natural to conduct a love affair, which born in a town in Italy, but lived History, an encyclopedic collection fell foul of laws introduced by in Rome. He was the author of facts and stories about a huge Augustus to improve the morals of sixteen Satires, long poems variety of subjects. It is a very of contemporary society. The criticizing and attacking the useful source of information on mistake was probably connected vices of his fellow Romans. many aspects of Roman life. In to the love affairs of Augustus’ The Satires have a bitter humor Suburani ‘Pliny’ refers to Pliny the granddaughter, Julia. Among his and pessimistic attitude, and Younger. works are love poems such as there is much exaggeration. the Amores (Loves) and a long epic Pliny the Younger: Gaius Nevertheless, Juvenal sheds light poem, The Metamorphoses, which Caecilius Plinius Secundus (AD on contemporary Roman society is a collection of stories from 61/62–113) was the nephew of and provides lots of detail about mythology, bound together by the Pliny the Elder. He was born everyday life. theme of transformation. at Comum (Como) in northern Livy: Titus Livius (59 BC–AD 17) was Italy. He had a successful career Petronius: Petronius Arbiter (died born at Patavium (modern Padua) as a lawyer, politician, and AD 65) was a provincial governor in north-east Italy. Little is known administrator, and his final post and consul. He then became about his life, but he probably was as governor of the province Emperor Nero’s arbiter ēlegentiae came to Rome as an adult. He of Bithynia. His letters to friends, (arbiter of taste), a play on his wrote A History of Rome, starting family, and colleagues include an name; this meant he advised Nero with its foundation and going exchange with Emperor Trajan on what was tasteful or elegant. up to his own lifetime.