Virgil and Livy part 1 Aim: to have some understanding of the 2 key Roman Authors studied and their issues.

Who are they? Much of what we know about early Rome comes from two main writers- Virgil and Livy. Both were writing under the rule of Augustus (27BC- 14AD). You need to know something about them and when they were writing before we look directly at their work. Split a page into 2

Virgil: 70B.C.-19B.C. Key work: The Aeneid Roman poet Received a classic ‘Greek’ education. Wrote the Aeneid in a ‘Homeric’ Style (epic journey and great battle- Odessy and Iliad). Had close ties to the Roman Imperial Family. Was asked by Emperor Augustus to write about the ‘Glory of Rome’- (The Aeneid)

Livy: 59 B.C.- 17 A.D. Key work: The Early History of Rome Roman Historian (this is rare as many ‘histories of Rome’ were written as hobbies). Grew up during a period of civil war. Friend to the Emperor Augustus and popular with the imperial families. Claimed to have read ALL the Greek and ancient Histories.

Problems? Dates- Both writing SIGNIFICANTLY after the events. Lack of sources- Livy admits he cannot say which versions of events are accurate. Myths- The periods they are writing about are mostly recorded through myth with little fact. Virgil is a poet! Influence of the Emperor and Julio-Claudian family* What might be the issues with studying these two authors?

Emperor Augustus Augustus was the adopted nephew of Julius Caesar. Came from a very politically influential family (Julio- Claudians). Caesars rule led to war with many of the other powerful families in the Senate. Augustus finally becomes Emperor after defeating the Senate and other enemies. Roman Republic Rule/ dictatorship of Julius Caesar Civil War- Caesar vs. The Senate Augustus Caesar

Influence on Livy and Virgil? After the Civil War he had to ‘rebuild’ the Roman Empire. Wanted to popularise the origins of Rome and link himself to the founding of Rome (even wanted to call himself Romulus- 1 st Roman King). Had to deal with many domestic political problems and squabbling groups. What influence do you think he would have on Livy and Virgil?

“Virgil makes use of the symbolism of the Augustan regime, and some scholars see strong associations between Augustus and Aeneas, the one as founder and the other as re-founder of Rome.” “Livy's enthusiasm for the republic is evident from the first pages of his work, and yet the Julio-Claudian family (the imperial family) were as much fans of Livy as anyone. He could not have been an advocate of any sort of sedition in favour of restoring the Republic; he would have been put on trial for treason and executed, as many had been and would be.”

A Different Approach Yes Virgil and Livy can be seen as unreliable! (Gods popping up etc.) The important thing is to look at how the Romans used these stories to define themselves and inspire themselves. You will need to consider these things in the exam!

Plenary When looking at a source- what should we consider? Source/ Extract Roman ideas about their origins Roman ideas about kings and leaders Accuracy v.s myth Content- What it says