Livy
Roman historian who wrote Ab Urbe Condita, a monumental history of Rome from its founding through the reign of Augustus.
Titus Livius, known in English as Livy, was a Roman historian who lived from 59 BC to AD 17. He authored a comprehensive history of Rome and its people called *Ab Urbe Condita* (From the Founding of the City), which spanned from Rome’s earliest legends before its traditional founding in 753 BC up to the reign of Augustus, during Livy’s own lifetime. He maintained good relations with the Julio-Claudian dynasty and was a friend of Augustus. Livy also encouraged Augustus’s young grandnephew, the future emperor Claudius, to write history.
Livy was born in Patavium (modern Padua) in northern Italy, likely in 59 BC. At that time, Patavium was the second wealthiest city on the Italian peninsula and the largest in the province of Cisalpine Gaul. During Livy’s life, Cisalpine Gaul was merged into Italy proper, and its people received Roman citizenship from Julius Caesar. In his writings, Livy often showed deep affection and pride for Patavium, which was known for its conservative moral and political values.
Livy’s teenage years fell in the 40s BC, a period of civil wars across the Roman world. Asinius Pollio, then governor of Cisalpine Gaul, tried to persuade Patavium to support Mark Antony during Caesar’s civil war. The city’s wealthy citizens refused to provide money and arms, instead hiding. Pollio attempted to bribe their slaves to reveal their masters’ locations, but the bribery failed, and the citizens pledged allegiance to the Senate. These civil wars likely prevented Livy from pursuing higher education in Rome or a customary tour of Greece. Years later, Pollio criticized Livy’s “patavinity,” claiming his Latin contained provincialisms disliked in Rome—remarks possibly stemming from Pollio’s negative experiences with Patavium during the wars.
Livy probably moved to Rome in the 30s BC and spent much time there afterward, though it may not have been his main home. He never became a senator or held a government position. His writings contain basic mistakes about military matters, suggesting he likely never served in the Roman army. He was educated in philosophy and rhetoric. Livy seems to have had enough financial resources to live independently, though the source of his wealth is unknown. This financial freedom allowed him to devote much of his life to writing.
He gave recitations to small audiences but did not engage in declamation, a common pastime. Livy was familiar with Emperor Augustus and the imperial family. Augustus’s later reputation as Rome’s greatest emperor benefited Livy’s own standing long after his death. Suetonius recorded that Livy encouraged the future emperor Claudius, born in 10 BC, to write historical works as a child.
Livy’s most famous work is his history of Rome, which narrates the city’s complete story from its foundation to Augustus’s death. Writing under Augustus’s reign, Livy emphasized Rome’s great triumphs. He embellished accounts of Roman heroism to promote the new government Augustus established. In the preface, Livy wrote that he did not care about his own fame, as long as his work helped “preserve the memory of the deeds of the world’s preeminent nation.” Because he wrote about events centuries earlier, the historical accuracy of his work was questionable, though many Romans accepted his account as true.
Livy married and had at least one daughter and one son. He produced other works, including an essay in letter form to his son and several dialogues, likely modeled on Cicero’s. One of his sons wrote a geography book, and his daughter married Lucius Magius, a rhetorician. Livy died in his home city of Patavium in AD 17. A tombstone possibly belonging to Livy and his wife may have been found in Padua.
Livy’s only surviving work is commonly called *History of Rome* (or *Ab Urbe Condita*). Along with Polybius’s writings, it is considered a key account of the Second Punic War. He began this work past his youth, probably at age 33, and continued until he left Rome for Padua in old age, likely during Tiberius’s reign after Augustus’s death. Seneca the Younger notes Livy was an orator and philosopher who wrote historical treatises in those fields.
*History of Rome* also drove the “northern theory” about Etruscan origins. Livy states, “The Greeks also call them the ‘Tyrrhene’ and the ‘Adriatic … The Alpine tribes are undoubtedly of the same kind, especially the Raetii, who had through the nature of their country become so uncivilized that they retained no trace of their original condition except their language, and even this was not free from corruption.” Scholars like Karl Otfried Müller used this as evidence that the Etruscans, or Tyrrhenians, migrated from the north and descended from the Alpine Raeti tribe.
Livy’s *History of Rome* was in high demand from the imperial era onward.
- born
- 59 BC in Patavium (modern Padua, Italy)
- died
- AD 17 in Patavium
- field
- History
- nationality
- Roman
- known_for
- Writing Ab Urbe Condita (History of Rome)
Lore & Background
Livy was born in Patavium in northern Italy, now modern Padua, probably in 59 BC. At the time of his birth, his home city of Patavium was the second wealthiest on the Italian peninsula, and the largest in the province of Cisalpine Gaul (northern Italy). Cisalpine Gaul was merged into Italy proper during his lifetime and its inhabitants were given Roman citizenship by Julius Caesar. In his works, Livy often expressed his deep affection and pride for Patavium, and the city was well known for its conservative values in morality and politics. Livy's teenage years were during the 40s BC, a period of civil wars throughout the Roman world. The governor of Cisalpine Gaul at the time, Asinius Pollio, tried to sway Patavium into supporting Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony), the leader of one of the warring factions during Caesar's civil war (49–45 BC). The wealthy citizens of Patavium refused to contribute money and arms to Asinius Pollio, and went into hiding. Pollio then attempted to bribe the slaves of those wealthy citizens to expose the whereabouts of their masters; his bribery failed, and the citizens instead pledged their allegiance to the Senate. It is therefore likely that the Roman civil wars prevented Livy from pursuing a higher education in Rome or going on a tour of Greece, which was common for adolescent males of the nobility at the time. Many years later, Asinius Pollio derisively commented on Livy's 'patavinity', saying that Livy's Latin showed certain 'provincialisms' frowned upon in Rome. Pollio's remarks may have been the result of negative feelings he harboured toward the city of Patavium from his experiences there during the civil wars. Livy likely went to Rome in the 30s BC, and it is probable that he spent a large amount of time in the city after this, although it may not have been his primary residence. During his time in Rome, he was never a senator nor held a government position. His writings contain elementary mistakes on military matters, indicating that he probably never served in the Roman army. However, he was educated in philosophy and rhetoric. It seems that Livy had the financial resources and means to live an independent life, though the origin of that wealth is unknown. He devoted a large part of his life to his writings, which he was able to do because of his financial freedom. Livy was known to give recitations to small audiences, but
Reader's Guide
Livy's only surviving work is commonly known as History of Rome (or Ab Urbe Condita, 'From the Founding of the City'). Together with Polybius it is considered one of the main accounts of the Second Punic War. When he began this work he was already past his youth, probably 33; presumably, events in his life prior to that time had led to his intense activity as a historian. He continued working on it until he left Rome for Padua in his old age, probably in the reign of Tiberius after the death of Augustus. Seneca the Younger says he was an orator and philosopher and had written some historical treatises in those fields. History of Rome also served as the driving force behind the 'northern theory' regarding the Etruscans' origins. This is because in the book Livy states, 'The Greeks also call them the "Tyrrhene" and the "Adriatic ... The Alpine tribes are undoubtedly of the same kind, especially the Raetii, who had through the nature of their country become so uncivilized that they retained no trace of their original condition except their language, and even this was not free from corruption'. Thus, many scholars, like Karl Otfried Müller, utilized this statement as evidence that the Etruscans or the Tyrrhenians migrated from the north and were descendants of an Alpine tribe known as the Raeti.
Did You Know?
- Livy's History of Rome was in high demand from the time it was published and remained so during the early years of the empire. Pliny the Younger reported that Livy's celebrity was so widespread, a man from Cádiz travelle
- Livy wrote during the reign of Augustus, who came to power after a civil war with generals and consuls claiming to be defending the Roman Republic, such as Pompey. Patavium had been pro-Pompey.
- The historian Tacitus, writing about a century after Livy's time, described the Emperor Augustus as his friend. Describing the trial of Cremutius Cordus, Tacitus represents him as defending himself face-to-face with the
- During the Middle Ages, due to the length of the work, the literate class was already reading summaries rather than the work itself, which was tedious to copy, expensive, and required a lot of storage space. The Renaissa
Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)
"Titus Livius (around 59 BC – 17 AD), known as Livy in English, wrote a monumental history of Rome, Ab Urbe Condita, from its founding (traditionally dated to 753 BC) through the reign of Augustus." — Livy "Rome has grown since its humble beginnings that it is now overwhelmed by its own greatness." — Livy "I shall find antiquity a rewarding study, if only because, while I am absorbed in it, I shall be able to turn my eyes from the troubles which for so long have tormented the modern world." — Livy "We can endure neither our vices nor the remedies for them." — Livy
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