Tacitus presents a vivid picture of the highwater point of the roman empire, and does not gloss over the toxic corruption and brutality of the time. The young man himself, anxious to be thought superior to his station, was ever displaying his. Librivox recording of publius cornelius tacitus histories, read by librivox volunteers. Welcome to the bloomsbury companion website supporting the text edition of tacitus histories i written for the ocr as and a level in latin. It is probable that tacitus was a member of the imperial council in which trajan was chosen to be adopted. The histories by tacitus in chm, epub, fb3 download e book. This website and its content is subject to our terms and conditions.
The parts of the work that survived from antiquity cover most of. He has also published three textbooks with open book publishers. Tacitus introduces his themes and most of the major players at the beginning. This book offers a portion of the original latin text, study aids with vocabulary, and a commentary. The destruction of julius vindex and his entire force had given the roman army a taste for loot and glory. What survives of annals tells an often terrible tale of 1428, 37, and, partially, 4766. In his later years he became interested in writing an unbiased account of those times, starting his account just before tiberius came to the throne. Histories book i cambridge greek and latin classics. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Tacitus librarium database of online ancient sources. The annals by roman historian and senator tacitus is a history of the roman empire from. A history of ancient rome concerning the three shortlived emperors of a.
Sometimes this change can be quite unforgiving and without the footnotes i would have probably struggled to notice the change especially for. A chronicle of the turbulent events taking place in the years 69 a. Tacitus, full text with parallel latin and english at. The histories books iiii by tacitus must be one of the best historical writings of the ancient world. Tacitus, the histories, with an english translation by clifford h. The histories, volumes i and ii by cornelius tacitus free ebook project gutenberg. It covered the year of four emperors following the downfall of nero, the rise of vespasian, and the rule of the flavian dynasty up to the death of domitian. Tacitus constantly switches back and forth between events.
Historiae is a roman historical chronicle by tacitus. Histories book i cambridge greek and latin classics 9780521578226. Although tacitus wrote the histories before the annals, the events in the annals precede the histories. Little is known about the origins and biography of tacitus. In the months during which vespasian was waiting at alexandria for the periodical return of the summer gales and settled weather at sea, many wonders occurred which seemed to point. Initium mihi operis servius galba iterum iterum consul. The histories of ancient rome by cornelius tacitus. Tes global ltd is registered in england company no 02017289 with its registered office at 26 red lion square london wc1r 4hq.
The annals, with an english translation by john jackson. Tacitus cornelius, famous roman historian, was born in 55, 56 or 57 ce and lived to about 120. Otho sends fleet to narbonese gaul, and orders illyric legions1 to concentrate at aquileia. Designed to stretch and stimulate readers, owens and gildenhards commentary will be of interest to students of latin at a2 and undergraduate level. What survives of histories covers the dramatic years 6970. Annals is a history book by covering the reign of the four roman emperors succeeding to caesar augustus. The internet classics archive the histories by tacitus. Otho sends fleet to narbonese gaul, and orders illyric legions1 to. The vitellian advance 5190 the histories by cornelius tacitus. The project gutenberg ebook of the histories, by tacitus.
He became an orator, married in 77 a daughter of julius agricola before agricola went to britain, was quaestor in 81 or 82, a senator under the flavian emperors, and a praetor in 88. My aim in this latter project was to reintegrate histories 1 into the corpus of teachable latin texts. In the first module, we provide an introduction to tacitus and the histories at a whole, before turning in the second and third modules to the figures of galba and otho. Book i covers the beginning of the infamous year of the four emperors 69 ce, which brought imperial rome to the brink of destruction after the demise of the julioclaudian dynasty. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Although tacitus means silent, ironically he was known for his oratory. We would like to show you a description here but the site wont allow us. Tacitus s most popular book is the annals of imperial rome.
The project gutenberg ebook of the histories, by tacitus, translated. Latin text with introduction, study questions, commentary and english translation, virgil, aeneid, 4. Tacitus wrote the annals in at least 16 books, but books 710 and parts of books. Book i covers the beginning of the infamous year of the four emperors 69 ce, which brought imperial rome to the brink of destruction after the demise of. The first historical work by romes greatest historian, tacitus histories hold a crucial place in the history of latin literature. Overall, this book s exuberant and playful approach to tacitus. Elsewhere ocean girds it, embracing broad peninsulas and islands of unexplored extent, where certain tribes and kingdoms. Book 1 book ii book iii book iv book v book vi book xi book xii book xiii book xiv book xv book xvi chapter. Cornelius tacitus, the annals alfred john church, william jackson brodribb, ed. In this module, dr chris whitton university of cambridge explores tacitus histories, book 1. Originally twelve or fourteen books in length, the histories survive to the extent of the first four and a portion of the fifth, covering the year of the. In one of the first chapters of the agricola, tacitus states that he wishes to speak.
In a distant part of the world fortune was now preparing the origin and rise of a new dynasty, whose varied destinies brought happiness or misery on the state, prosperity or destruction on the princes of its line. Book 1, the vitellian advance, paragraphs 5190 of the histories by cornelius tacitus. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by us and international laws. Together, the histories and the annals amounted to 30 books. Books by tacitus author of the annals of imperial rome.
I shall now explain the origin and causes of the movement in favour of vitellius. The first historical work by romes greatest historian, the histories hold a crucial place in the study of latin literature. I have written two brief commentaries on augustus res gestae and nepos life of atticus and a more substantial and scholarly commentary on the first book of tacitus histories. Although part of the original work which was written in 105108 ad has been lost, that which remains is still one of the better works of an ancient historian.
I find in certain authors the idea that the armies, due to the terrors of warfare, or their aversion to both the candidates for emperor, whose shameful. The annals was tacitus final work and provides a key source for modern understanding of the history of the roman empire from the beginning of the reign of tiberius in ad 14 to the end of the reign of nero, in ad 68. The histories is an extremely chaotic book both in content and narration. The annals and the histories, published separately, were meant to form a single edition of thirty books. Tacitus grew up during a the reign of nero, and may have been a teenager when nero died and the roman empire was plunged into civil war.