The Annals The Histories

"The Histories" is a Roman historical chronicle and it covers the Year of Four Emperors following the downfall of Nero in 68 AD, a year in the history of the Roman Empire in which four emperors ruled in succession: Galba, Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian. The mode of their accession showed that because imperial power was based on the support of the legions, an emperor could now be chosen not only at Rome, but anywhere in the empire where sufficient legions were amassed. The style of narration is rapid, reflecting the speed of the events. The narrative rhythm leaves no space to slow down or digress. To write effectively in this style, Tacitus had to summarize substantial information from his sources. "The Annals" is a history of the Roman Empire from the death of Augustus to that of Nero, the years AD 14–68, covering the reigns of Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero. As a senator, Tacitus had access to Acta Senatus, the Roman senate's records, thus providing a solid basis for his work. Along with The Histories, The Annals provide a key source for modern understanding of the history of the Roman Empire during the 1st century AD.

Tacitus' Annals of Imperial Rome recount the major historical events from the years shortly before the death of Augustus up to the death of Nero in AD 68. With clarity and vivid intensity he describes the reign of terror under the corrupt Tiberius, the great fire of Rome during the time of Nero, and the wars, poisonings, scandals, conspiracies and murders that were part of imperial life. Despite his claim that the Annals were written objectively, Tacitus' account is sharply critical of the emperors' excesses and fearful for the future of Imperial Rome, while also filled with a longing for its past glories.

"The Annals" is a history of the Roman Empire from the death of Augustus to that of Nero, the years AD 14–68, covering the reigns of Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero. As a senator, Tacitus had access to Acta Senatus, the Roman senate's records, thus providing a solid basis for his work. Along with The Histories, The Annals provide a key source for modern understanding of the history of the Roman Empire during the 1st century AD. "The Histories" is a Roman historical chronicle and it covers the Year of Four Emperors following the downfall of Nero in 68 AD, a year in the history of the Roman Empire in which four emperors ruled in succession: Galba, Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian. The mode of their accession showed that because imperial power was based on the support of the legions, an emperor could now be chosen not only at Rome, but anywhere in the empire where sufficient legions were amassed. The style of narration is rapid, reflecting the speed of the events. The narrative rhythm leaves no space to slow down or digress. To write effectively in this style, Tacitus had to summarize substantial information from his sources.

"The Annals" is a history of the Roman Empire from the death of Augustus to that of Nero, the years AD 14-68, covering the reigns of Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero. As a senator, Tacitus had access to Acta Senatus, the Roman senate's records, thus providing a solid basis for his work. Along with The Histories, The Annals provide a key source for modern understanding of the history of the Roman Empire during the 1st century AD. "The Histories" is a Roman historical chronicle and it covers the Year of Four Emperors following the downfall of Nero in 68 AD, a year in the history of the Roman Empire in which four emperors ruled in succession: Galba, Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian. The mode of their accession showed that because imperial power was based on the support of the legions, an emperor could now be chosen not only at Rome, but anywhere in the empire where sufficient legions were amassed. The style of narration is rapid, reflecting the speed of the events. The narrative rhythm leaves no space to slow down or digress. To write effectively in this style, Tacitus had to summarize substantial information from his sources.

Ancient Roman senator and historian Publius Cornelius Tacitus is known throughout Western history as one of the greatest historical writers of the Silver Age of Latin literature. He lived during the first century AD and was the son of a wealthy aristocratic family. Not much is known about his personal life; however, it is clear that both Tacitus and Pliny the Elder were acquaintances and even possibly childhood friends, though there is no substantial evidence to support this. Tacitus studied rhetoric in order to create a career in law and politics. He steadily rose throughout the ranks due to his strong speaking style and oration skills. However, his language skills did not stop with verbal speeches. He was also an accomplished writer who focused on the history of the Roman Empire. He created five works, "The Annals," "The Histories," "The Agricola," "The Germania," and "A Dialogue on Oratory." His works delve deep into the facts as he knew them, rarely ever embellishing history to create a story. He also stayed true to chronological order and laid history out in visible steps. It is also notable that Tacitus knew that his fellow politicians were corrupt; he believed that they gave up their strong voice in order to please a usually corrupt emperor. These five great works are brought together in this collection of "The Complete Works of Tacitus."

e emperor Nero is etched into the Western imagination as one of ancient Rome's most infamous villains, and Tacitus' Annals have played a central role in shaping the mainstream historiographical understanding of this flamboyant autocrat. This section of the text plunges us straight into the moral cesspool that Rome had apparently become in the later years of Nero's reign, chronicling the emperor's fledgling stage career including his plans for a grand tour of Greece; his participation in a city-wide orgy climaxing in his publicly consummated 'marriage' to his toy boy Pythagoras; the great fire of AD 64, during which large parts of central Rome went up in flames; and the rising of Nero's 'grotesque' new palace, the so-called 'Golden House', from the ashes of the city. This building project stoked the rumours that the emperor himself was behind the conflagration, and Tacitus goes on to present us with Nero's gruesome efforts to quell these mutterings by scapegoating and executing members of an unpopular new cult then starting to spread through the Roman empire: Christianity. All this contrasts starkly with four chapters focusing on one of Nero's most principled opponents, the Stoic senator Thrasea Paetus, an audacious figure of moral fibre, who courageously refuses to bend to the forces of imperial corruption and hypocrisy. This course book offers a portion of the original Latin text, study aids with vocabulary, and a commentary. Designed to stretch and stimulate readers, Owen's and Gildenhard's incisive commentary will be of particular interest to students of Latin at both A2 and undergraduate level. It extends beyond detailed linguistic analysis and historical background to encourage critical engagement with Tacitus' prose and discussion of the most recent scholarly thought.