Livy
Roman historian who chronicled Rome from its founding through Augustus.
Titus Livius (59 BC – AD 17), known in English as Livy, was a Roman historian. He wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people, titled Ab Urbe Condita, covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome before the traditional founding in 753 BC through the reign of Augustus in his own lifetime. He was on good terms with members of the Julio-Claudian dynasty and was a friend of Augustus.
- born
- 59 BC in Patavium (modern Padua, Italy)
- died
- AD 17 in Patavium
- field
- History
- nationality
- Roman
- known_for
- Writing Ab Urbe Condita (History of Rome)
Lore & Background
Livy was born in Patavium, the second wealthiest city on the Italian peninsula and the largest in Cisalpine Gaul. His teenage years coincided with the civil wars of the 40s BC; the governor Asinius Pollio tried to sway Patavium to support Mark Antony, but wealthy citizens refused and hid. Pollio later derisively commented on Livy's 'patavinity,' suggesting provincialisms in his Latin. Livy likely went to Rome in the 30s BC, never held a senate or government position, and probably never served in the army. He was educated in philosophy and rhetoric and had financial independence to devote himself to writing.
Livy was known to give recitations to small audiences and was familiar with Augustus and the imperial family. He encouraged Augustus's young grandnephew, the future emperor Claudius, to write history. Livy's only surviving work is History of Rome, which he began around age 33 and continued until he left Rome for Padua in old age, probably under Tiberius. The work emphasizes Roman triumphs and promotes Augustus's new government. Livy was married with at least one daughter and one son, and also wrote essays and dialogues. He died at Patavium in AD 17.
Reader's Guide
Livy's History of Rome was in high demand from publication and remained so during the early empire, with Pliny the Younger reporting that a man from Cádiz traveled to Rome solely to meet him. The work served as a source for later historians such as Aurelius Victor, Cassiodorus, Eutropius, and Orosius. During the Middle Ages, the work's length led to reliance on summaries and loss of manuscripts. The Renaissance saw intense revival: Petrarch and Pope Nicholas V searched for missing books, and Laurentius Valla published an amended text initiating Livy scholarship. Dante praised him, Francis I commissioned artwork on Livian themes, and Machiavelli's Discourses on Livy is a commentary on the History of Rome. Livy's account also drove the 'northern theory' of Etruscan origins, as he linked the Raeti to the Tyrrhenians. Despite elementary mistakes on military matters, his work was long considered authoritative by many Romans.
Did You Know?
- Livy encouraged the future emperor Claudius to write history when Claudius was a child.
- Asinius Pollio criticized Livy's Latin for having 'provincialisms' he called 'patavinity.'
- Livy never held a senate or government position and probably never served in the Roman army.
- A man from Cádiz traveled to Rome and back solely to meet Livy, according to Pliny the Younger.
Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)
"Titus Livius (around 59 BC – 17 AD), known as Livy in English, wrote a monumental history of Rome, Ab Urbe Condita, from its founding (traditionally dated to 753 BC) through the reign of Augustus." — Livy "Rome has grown since its humble beginnings that it is now overwhelmed by its own greatness." — Livy "I shall find antiquity a rewarding study, if only because, while I am absorbed in it, I shall be able to turn my eyes from the troubles which for so long have tormented the modern world." — Livy "We can endure neither our vices nor the remedies for them." — Livy
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