Velleius Paterculus

Velleius Paterculus (v. 19 av. J. - C. - v. 31 a. J. - C.) is a Roman historian .

Its career

No old author spoke about Velleius Paterculus; all that we know about his life was brought back by itself. Its family was of origin campanienne and rather fortunate. He made his first weapons like military Tribun in Thrace and Macedonia. He passed then, always like powerful orator, in the army of Caïus Cesar (sons of Clutched and grandson of Auguste) with which he made countryside against the Parthes in Arménie. He was then Légat in the army of Tibère and took share with him with the wars of Pannonia, Dalmatie and Germanie. Returned glorieusement in Rome with Tibère, it was named Préteur with died of Auguste (14 a. J. - C.). One does not know what became Velleius Paterculus between this date and that to which it dedicated its work to his friend Marcus Vinicius (30 a. J. - C.). He would have died in 31 a. J. - C., trained in the disgrace of Séjan.

Its work

It is probably the desire of recognition towards its former general, become emperor, who made a historian of it. Its work, the Roman History, in two books , embraces the principal events of the world greco-Roman since the catch of Troy until the consulate of Marcus Vinicius (30 a. J. - C.) to which it dedicated its work. He insists particularly on the reigns of Auguste and Tibère. He tells his memories of countryside there. Its account is not monotome but not cut anecdotes and reflections morals. Its portraits of famous men are remarkable. It makes the enumeration of the Roman colonies and the list of the provinces gives us.

He is the only Latin historian not to neglect the literary history and to make us a table of the Greek and Latin literatures. One can however reproach him a lack of impartiality towards Tibère. Indeed, its description of the civil war which leads Octave- Auguste to the capacity exonerates this last of the proscriptions (list of the opponents to eliminate of which Néron, relative of Tibère), which it allots to Lépide and Marc-Antoine.

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