1. Aim: To assess Livy’s reliability in the Early History of Rome
Livy and Reliability
Aim: To assess Livy’s reliability in the Early History of Rome
Starter:
Given Livy is writing between 20 B.C. and 17 A.D. what immediate problems can you think of with Livy’s History?
Make a list

2. In Livy’s own words… Read the Preface
In your book (under the sub heading ‘from the Preface’)…
Make a list of any possible problems Livy high lights?
Any examples of Livy discussing his methods
Any examples of Livy writing something other than History

3. 2 big issues (to begin with)
Largely, a lot of Livy’s reliability problems can be put under 2 headings:
His Sources
His Methods
Split a page into 2 with these headings

4. His sources Read the hand out Make notes on:
Who were Livy’s main sources
Their methods of ‘doing History’
Influence of the Greeks
Why these accounts can be seen as reliable

5. Review From the Preface and what you have just read…
What points suggest he is RELIABLE
What points suggest he is NOT RELIABLE
Which seems more prevalent?

6. His Methods The ‘Roman Historian’
Livy like all Roman Historians didn’t really do their own research.
Preferred to use other accounts.
Wanted to create a grand narrative of the whole history of the Empire.
Included different versions of events
Scan through Livy and come up with 3 examples where he says there may be more than one version

7. Beyond the Historian
Roman Historians aimed to entertain as much as inform.
This helps explain some of the more ‘theatrical’ events/ speeches.
“When he told a story… it was clear as crystal, his speeches were eloquent beyond description.” [Quintilian] [Roman writer 35 AD]
Flick back through what we have done and find 3 good examples of Livy’s Theatrical Nature

8. The Moral/ Political Writer
As we know Roman Historians wrote to make political points.
Livy doesn’t want to write a critical History of the Republic
He writes ‘the story’ of the republic.
Along with this comes the ‘Goodies’ and ‘Baddies’
Who’s a good guy/ bad guy? Make a list

9. Archaeology to the rescue!
There are some archaeological findings in Rome that do ‘support’ what Livy is writing.
Mostly civic buildings e.g. temples
More examples will have been in place when Livy was writing that have since been destroyed/ built upon

10. Capitoline Hill where the Sabines entered to fight the Romans
The Roman Forum
Capitoline Hill where the Sabines entered to fight the Romans

11. Bronze age huts on Palatine Hill- “The Romulus Huts”

12. The Temple of Janus
(rebuilt numerous times)

13. Why might using Archaeology be ‘a tricky business’
The Lupercal Cave
Why might using Archaeology be ‘a tricky business’

14. How did Ancient Roman Historians differ to Modern Historians?
Plenary
How did Ancient Roman Historians differ to Modern Historians?
Ancient
Modern