Latin Literature

Flashcards of the Early Roman Authors

Livius Andronicus

Lucius Livius Andronicus - 284 -204 BCE; Father of latin literature, translated the odyssey from greek to latin in Saturian hexameter, wrote the first roman comedy, wrote a hymn to Juno

Gnaeus Naevius

270-201 BCE, First native roman poets, likely a Roman citizen and even fought in the First Punic War, wrote Bellum Punicum, a latin epic based on roman events rather than greek myth

Quintus Ennius

239-169 BCE, Father of Roman Literature, wrote Annales, a story of roman history, and Saturae, a collection of satirical poems. First to introduce dactylic hexameter to latin poetry

Titus Maccius Plautus

254-184 BCE, Wrote Fabula Pallitae: comedies adjusted to the roman palate, specifically influenced by Greek New Comedy. Plays include: Menaechmi, Amphitryon, Captivi, Mostellaria, Aulularia, and Miles Gloriosus. Known for their wordplay, puns, and witty dialogue

Publius Terentius Afer

195/185-159 BCE, Adapted greek comedies, mainly from Menander (Fabula Palliata). Plays include: Andria, Hecyra, Eunuchus, Phormio, Heauton Timorumenos, Adelphi. His style was elegant and sophisticated.

Marcus Porcius Cato (Cato the Elder)

234-149 BCE, Served in the second punic war (against Hannibal), later became a politician, holding the offices of consul and censor.
Traditionalist that opposed the growth of Greek culture.
Wrote: Origines (beginnings), and De Re Rustica/ De agri Cultura

Gaius Julius Caesar

100 BCE-44 BCE, Wrote during wars, wrote for the Roman ppl. Wrote: De Bello Gallico (On the Gallic wars), and De Bello Civili

Titus Lucretius Carus

99-55 BCE, Roman poet of science and epicurean philosopher. Wrote: De Rerum Natura (on the nature of things)

Marcus Tullius Cicero

106-43 BCE, Roman statesman, orator, philosopher, and writer.
Famous for his speeches, political writing, and philosophical works
Wrote: De Re Publica, De Amicitia, De Natura Deorum, De Officiis, Oratore, Pro Quinctio, Pro Sulla, and Philippics

Gaius Sallustius Crispus

86-35 BC, Roman historian and politician.
Wrote: Bellum Catilinae/The Conspiracy of Cataline, Bellum Iugurthinum/The Jugurthine War, and Histories

Gaius Valerius Catullus

84-54 BC, Roman poet focused on emotions, love, and personal experiences. Many of his poems (25) are abt Lesbia (Clodia Metelli, a roman aristocrat). Wrote: Poems abt the marriage of Peleus and Thetis, Calliambic meter, Translation of the lock of berenice

Publius Vergilius Maro

70-19 BCE, Roman poet, epicurean who studied rhetoric and philosophy. Wrote:
Eclogues/Bucolics: Pastoral Poetry, Georgics: A didactic poem abt agriculture, Aeneid: A national epic abt Aeneas, the mythical founder of Rome

Quintus Horatius Flaccus

65-8 BCE, Roman poet known for his satirical, lyric, and philosophical poetry. Most quoted latin poet “Carpe diem”.
Wrote: Satires, Odes/Carmin, Epistles, Epodes

Albius Tibullus

55-19 BCE, Roman Poet known for his elegiac love poetry. Focused on themes of love, simplicity, and rural life. Wrote Elegies

Sextus Propertius

50/45-15 BCE, Elegiac Poet abt love, mythology, and roman identity. Wrote: Elegies, focusing on the love affairs with Cynthia/Hostia, Cornelia, and Lycinna

Publius Ovidius Naso

43 BCE-17/18 CE, Roman poet known for his witty, sensual, and mythological poetry. Wrote: Amores, Ars Amatoria, Metamorphoses, Fasti, Tristia and Epistulae ex Ponto

Titus Livius

59 BCE-17 CE, Roman historian who never held political office. Wrote: Ad Urbe Condita: From the founding of the city, a 142 book history of Rome

Lucius Annaeus Seneca (Seneca the Elder)

54 BCE-39 CE, Roman rhetorician and writer, best known for his works on oratory and declamation. Wrote: Controversiae, and Suasoriae

Lucius Annaeus Seneca (Seneca the Younger)

4 BCE-65 CE, Roman stoic philosopher, statesman, dramatist, and advisor to Emperor Nero. Emphasized self-discipline, rationality, and virtue in Letters to Lucilius and On the Shortness of Life. Wrote tragedies, essays, and a large collection of moral letters.

Marcus Annaeus Lucanus

39-65 CE, Roman Poet, Grandson of Seneca the Elder. Wrote: Pharsalia/De Bello Civili: an epic poem abt the civil war btw Caesar and Pompey, glorifying the republic, and condemning tyranny (anti-imperial)

Gaius Petronius Arbiter

Died in 66 CE, Roman courtier, satirist who Served in Nero’s “arbiter elegantiae”. Wrote: Satyricon: A satirical novel abt Roman excess

Quintilian

35-100 CE, Roman rhetorician, educator, and writer, best known for work on oratory and education. Wrote: Institutio Oratoria: 12 book guide to rhetoric, education, and public speaking, draws from Cicero as a model

Cassius Longinus

23-73 CE, Roman senator and general most known for Longinus on the Sublime: A guide to great writing

Gaius Plinius Secundus

23/24-79 CE, Roman Historian, naturalist, and military officer who Died during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, while chronicling it. Wrote: Naturalis Historiae: 37 book encyclopedia covering natural history, astronomy, geography, medicine, and art

Publius Papinius Statius

45-96 CE, Roman poet. Wrote: Thebaid: a 12 book epic on the war between the sons of Oedipus, Silvae: a collection of poems on personal and social themes, and Achilleid: unfinished, a heroic poem abt Achilles

Marcus Valerius Martial

38-104 CE, Master of Epigram. Wrote: Xenia (gifts), Apophoreta (Things to take home), Liber Spectatculorum (book of spectacles), and Epigrammata: a collection of over 1,500 epigrams

Plutarchus

46-120 CE, Philosopher, biographer, historian. Wrote: Parallel Lives: a series of biographies comparing Greek and Roman figures, highlighting theirs virtues and flaws, and Moralia: a collection of essays and dialogues on ethics, philosophy, religion, and education

Decimus Junius Juvenalis

55/60-138 CE, Roman poet, who critiqued roman society with sharp wit and moral outage. Wrote: Satires: a collection of 16 books, in 5 books, exposing Rome’s moral and social decline, attacking vice, hypocrisy, and excess

Cornelius Tacitus

56-120 CE, Roman historian and senator, Criticized the corruption and tyranny of emperors (Nero and Domitian). Wrote: Agricola, Germania, Annales, Historiae, and Dialogues de Oratoribus

Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus

61-113 CE, Roman lawyer, author, and administrator, Best known for his letters. Wrote Letters (Epistulae): and Panegyricus (speech in praise of Trajan)

Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus

69-122 CE, Roman historian, biographer, and scholar Wrote: De Vita Caesarum (12 Caesar’s), De Viris Illustribus, De Rerum Natura, De Re Publica, De Grammaticus, and De Rhetoribus

Flavius Josephus

37-100 CE, Jewish historian, military leader, and roman citizen. Wrote: Bellum Judaicum (The jewish war), Antiquitates Judaicae (Antiquities of the Jews), and Contra Apionem (Against apion)

Lucius Apuleius Madaurensis

124-170 AD, Roman rea philosopher, writer, orator. Wrote the only latin novel that survived entirely. Also wrote: Metamorphoses/ the golden, Apologia, Florida, De Deo Socratis (On the god of socrates), and De Mundo (On the universe)

Marcus Aurelius

121-180 CE, Stoic philosopher that Succeeded Hadrian-Roman Emperor. Known for writing Meditation: series of personal stoic reflections on virtue, duty, and self-discipline

Aulus Gellius

125-180 CE, Roman author and grammarian, Compiler of anecdotes and quotations. Wrote Noctes Atticae: compilation of knowledge, anecdotes, and reflections on various subjects

Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus

Pagan to christian, Christian theologist, apologist, and writer. Wrote: Apologeticus, Ad martyres and Ad nationes

Lactantius

Professor of rhetoric at Nicomedia in Bithynia, Pagan to Christian. Appointed as tutor to Constantine’s son later in life. Wrote: De opificio dei, De ira dei, Institutiones divinae, and De virginibus

Ammianus Marcellinus

330-400 CE, Roman historian and soldier. Wrote: Res Gestae: history of the roman empire from Nerva to Valens, though only the later sections survived

St. Aurelius Ambrosius

340-397 CE, Governor of Milan (given priesthood), Advocated for christianity during the affair of the altar of victory,. Wrote De officiis ministrorum and hymns

St. Jerome (Eusebius Hieronymus)

354-430 CE, Latin father of the church Christian priest and scholar, translated bible into latin. Wrote De viris illustribus and The Vulgate

St. Augustine (Aurelius Augustinius)

354-430 CE, Christian theologian and philosopher Wrote: Confessions, and The city of god

Boethius

477-524 CE, Served as a high ranking official under Theodoric the Great, the ostrogothic king of italy Wrote The Consolation of Philosophy, De Institutione Musica, De Institutione Arithmetica & De Institutione Geometrica

Gnaeus Accius

Roman tragic playwright works focused on themes from mythology and history

Marcus Terentius Varro

Roman scholar and writer whose writings include work on agriculture, history, and language

Lygdamus

Poet associated with the works of Sulpicia whose works focuses on themes of love

Sulpicia

Rare female poet with personal insights into love and romance

Gaius Helvius Cinna

Poet during the late republic whose epic poem that deals with themes of love

Lucilius

First major roman satirist

Gaius Caelius

Roman statesman, friend of Scipio Africans, known for dialogue De Amicitia (on friendship)

Fabius Pictor

Earliest roman historian, write the history of rome in Greek

Phaedrus

Roman fabulist, known for adopting Aesop’s fables

Valerius Flaccus

Roman Poet, unfinished epic about the Argonauts

Marcus Manilius

Roman poet and astrologer, that has an epic on astronomy

Gaius Cornelius Gallus

Poet, one of the first to write elegiac poetry that has themes of love

Quintus Aurelius Symmachus

Roman statesman and author, known for speeches and letters, often defending paganism

Asconius Pedianus

Roman grammarian and commentator, best known for commentaries on Cicero’s speeches

Lucius Annaeus Florus

Roman historian whose “Epitome of Roman History” Provides history of Rome from founding to the reign of Hadrian

Aulus Hirtius

Roman general and writer, well known for his continuation of De Bello Gallico

Asininus Pollio

Roman statesman and historian, known for founding the first public library in Rome, and writing the history of the civil wars

Quintus Ennius Pacuvius

Roman tragic playwright, earliest contributor to latin drama, tragedies often based on greek myth and history

Cornelius Nepos

Wrote the collection of biographies of notable historical figures "De Viris Illustribus"

Italicus

Roman poet during the reign of emperor Augustus

Apicius

Wrote “De Re Coquinaria” (cooking) under the reign of Tiberius

Meditations – Marcus Aurelius (r. 161–180 AD)

A personal journal of Stoic philosophy, self-reflection, and ethical guidance. It explores duty, virtue, and how to endure hardship with dignity

The Punic War – Claudius (r. 41–54 AD)

A history of the Punic Wars between Rome and Carthage, written in Greek, lost

Symposiacs – Julian the Apostate (r. 361–363 AD)

A collection of philosophical discussions and literary reflections, modeled after Greek symposium dialogues

Against the Galileans – Julian the Apostate

A critique of Christianity, arguing for a return to traditional Greco-Roman paganism and criticizing Christian theology