Dive into the captivating world of Tacitus, the imperial Roman historian with a beautifully unsettling writing style. Discover surprising insights about Roman Britain, its geography, and Tacitus's glaring omissions, like the Druids. Explore the complex dynamics between Tacitus and Pliny, revealing the challenges of bias in historical writing. Laugh as they discuss the idealization of past political eras and the power dynamics at play in Tacitus's rhetoric. Reflect on imperialism’s contrasting narratives, especially during Boudicca's revolt, all while navigating history's murky waters.
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insights INSIGHT
Tacitus's Writing Style
Tacitus is known for his writing skill, revealing his personality and opinions.
However, details about his personal life remain largely unknown.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Tacitus's Political Career
Tacitus, despite disliking the imperial system, thrived under it.
He achieved a successful political career, becoming a senator and governor.
insights INSIGHT
Tacitus's Unique Style
Tacitus's historical writing style contrasts with earlier historians, particularly Livy.
His concise and unpredictable style reflects a world of hidden meanings.
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The Histories by Herodotus is a foundational work in Western historical literature. It chronicles the Greco-Persian Wars (499–479 BCE) and provides a comprehensive background on the rise and organization of the Persian Empire. The work is divided into nine books, each named after one of the Muses. Herodotus describes the conflicts between the Greeks and Persians, including key battles such as Marathon, Thermopylae, Salamis, Plataea, and Mycale. He also delves into the cultural, ethnographical, geographical, and historiographical aspects of the civilizations involved, offering a rich tapestry of historical and mythological narratives. Despite some criticisms for including legendary accounts, much of Herodotus's work has been validated by modern historians and archaeologists[1][2][3].
Agricola
P. Cornelius Tacitus
The 'Agricola' is a biographical work written by Tacitus around 98 AD, honoring his father-in-law Gnaeus Julius Agricola. The book details Agricola's life, his military campaigns in Britain, and his governance of the province. It also serves as a critique of Roman imperial policies and a manual on good leadership and counterinsurgency strategies. Tacitus describes Agricola's military successes, his approach to governance, and the cultural and political context of Roman Britain. The work includes notable speeches, such as that of the Scottish rebel Calgacus, and reflects on the themes of power, governance, and morality within the Roman Empire[2][4][5].
Annals
American Academy of Political and Social Science.
The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science is a bimonthly journal that has been in publication since 1890. It covers a wide range of topics in the social sciences, including politics, economics, and social issues. Each volume is guest edited by outstanding scholars and experts in the topics studied and presents over 200 pages of timely, in-depth research. The journal aims to foster interdisciplinary perspectives on important social issues and has included contributions from notable authors such as Henry Louis Gates Jr., Richard A. Clarke, and William Julius Wilson.
Tacitus is the great historian of imperial Rome. His writing is beautiful, unsettling, extraordinarily persuasive. We know many of his likes and dislikes about people and politics, but facts about his personal life? Not so much.
His memoir of Agricola tells us much fascinating detail about Roman Britain: that it's an island (the Roman fleet sailed all the way round, just to check), that it's very close to Spain (with only Ireland in between); that invading Anglesey was a great victory for the Romans. He notes that it rains a lot, but omits to mention the Druids. He is also, he says, dedicated to writing impartially. Natalie may disagree. Who needs evidence when you have Tacitus' persuasive prose? It's not as if we can cross-check, because so little of the written record of the time survives to us. Natalie's guest, (modern) historian Dan Snow, finds this hard to fathom. Her other guest, Professor Llewelyn Morgan, knows it's unwise to lament the lost work. We should value what remains and hope that some new bits of Tacitus may appear in the future.
And it turns out that by boat, Britain IS actually close to Spain. Travelling overland was hard going in Tacitus' day, so compared to that, the sea journey to Spain was easy.
'Rock star mythologist’ and reformed stand-up Natalie Haynes is obsessed with the ancient world. Here she explores key stories from ancient Rome and Greece that still have resonance today. They might be biographical, topographical, mythological or epic, but they are always hilarious, magical and tragic, mystifying and revelatory. And they tell us more about ourselves now than seems possible of stories from a couple of thousand years ago.
Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics 
