Roman Literature

“The conquered becoming the conqueror, and the conqueror becoming conquered”

QUALITIES

1. Greatly imitative of the Greek models

2. Practical rather than being imaginative and speculative

3. Predominant of satire

4. Started with history

CLASSICAL LITERATURE

First Period 

• Early Roman Literature, with emphasis on progress and development
• Cicero greatest orator

Second Period

• Augustus Cesar Age, or the Golden Age of Literature (from during reign of Cesar to after his death)
• Freedom to write resulting to more writers

Third Period

• Age of Decline or Silver Age 
• Less literary works

FAMOUS WRITERS OF ROME

1. Publius Vergilius Marco, also known as Virgil

• Born in Mantua, Italy (70BC-19BC)
• Educated in Greek and Roman Literature
• Died in Brundisium 
• Wrote Aeneid, 12 books, short epics of Ciris and Culex, the Eclogues, the Georgics, lydia, copa and elegies
• Greatest poet writer in the time of Augustus’ reign

2. Marcus Tullius Cicero, also known as Cicero 

• Roman writer, orator, and statesmen born in Aprinun, Italy on 106 BC
• Leading figure of the Golden Age
• Greatest orator in prose 
• Perceived to be one of the most versatile minds of ancient Rome
• Entered in the senate on 74 BC
• Followed Cesar but failed
• Wrote rhetorical treatise

3. Decimus Iunius Iuvenalis, also known as Juvenal

• Greatest Roman satirist

4. Gaius Julius Divi Filius Caesar Octavianus Augustus

• Roman emperor and great dictator
• Recovered peace through series of wars

5. Quintus Horatius Flaccus, also known as Horace

• Short and meditative poems
• Leading roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus
• A friend of Virgil 
• A son of the freed-slave with experiences he wrote resulting to satirical poems and works, also cleverly combining personal reflections, observations, and delicate irony
• Wrote odes, satires, and epistles

6. Titus Livius, also known as Livy

• His History of Rome extended from the foundation of the city to death of Druscus and was published in 144 books

7. Publius Ovidius Naso, also known as Ovid

• A great poetical genius

8. Titus Maccius Platus

9. Marcus Valerius Martialis 

• Roman writer of epigram
• Satirist
• Orator of modern epigram

10. Lucidus LIvius Andronicus

• Produced the first Roman Drama
• Translated many Greek works to Latin
• Father of Roman Drama
• Most famous in translation of Homer’s Odyssey

11. Marcus Pacuvius

• Greatest tragic poet of Rome