481:
and most readable of all the abridgements of Roman history which have come down to us. Abridgements are usually little more than skeletons; but
Velleius has succeeded, in spite of the brief compass of his work, in clothing the bare bones with real flesh, and in endowing his compendium with more than a mere shadow of vitality, thanks to his own enthusiastic interest in the human side of the great characters of history... t has certain excellences of its own in the treatment of special subjects, especially the chapters on literary history, in which the author has a genuine if not very critical interest, the chapters on the Roman colonies, and those on the history of the organization of the Roman provinces, and in some of the character portraits of the great figures of Roman history.
472:
inconsistent. He labours at portrait-painting, but his portraits are daubs... The repetitions, redundancies, and slovenliness of expression which disfigure the work may be partly due to the haste with which (as the author frequently reminds us) it was written. Some blemishes of style, particularly the clumsy and involved structure of his sentences, may perhaps be ascribed to insufficient literary training. The inflated rhetoric, the straining after effect by means of hyperbole, antithesis and epigram, mark the degenerate taste of the Silver Age, of which
Paterculus is the earliest example.
38:
536:
978:
457:, is characterized by clearness, conciseness, and energy, but at the same time exhibits some of the faults of writers of his age in a fondness for strange and out-of-the-way expressions. As a historian Velleius is entitled to no mean rank; in his narrative he displays impartiality and love of truth, and in his estimate of the characters of the leading actors in Roman history he generally exhibits both discrimination and judgment.
453:
number of facts, and seizes only upon a few of the more prominent occurrences, which he describes at sufficient length to leave them impressed upon the recollection of his hearers. He also exhibits great tact in the manner in which he passes from one subject to another; his reflections are striking and apposite; and his style, which is a close imitation of
480:
A compendium of Roman history, hastily compiled by an army officer... could hardly be expected to rise to the level either of great history or great literature. And yet, taken for what it is, a rapid sketch of some ten centuries of history, it is, in spite of its many defects... the most successful
452:
In the execution of his work, Velleius has shown great skill and judgment, and has adopted the only plan by which an historical abridgement can be rendered either interesting or instructive. He does not attempt to give a consecutive account of all the events of history; he omits entirely a vast
471:
The author is a vain and shallow courtier, and destitute of real historical insight, although generally trustworthy in his statements of individual facts. He may be regarded as a courtly annalist rather than a historian. His knowledge is superficial, his blunders, numerous, his chronology
367:, in 146 BC. The volume is missing several portions, including the beginning, and a section following the eighth chapter, which deals with the founding of Rome. The second book, which continues the history from the age of the
490:
Velleius' treatise was not intended as a careful and comprehensive study of history. The author acknowledged as much, and stated his desire to write a more detailed work, which he indicated would give a fuller account of the
495:, and the campaigns of his patron, Tiberius, but there is no reason to believe that he ever did so. His history does not seem to have been widely known in antiquity. According to the scholiast, he was read by
885:
302:
could be held, and so the two brothers were formally elected under
Tiberius, serving their year of office in AD 15. Few other particulars of Velleius' life are known; he dedicated his history to
426:. According to Velleius, the peak of perfection in any literary field is arrived at quickly by the first arrivals. However, this was not an original insight, but a standard view of his time.
194:
507:
seems to have been modeled on
Velleius' history; and he is mentioned by Priscian, but this seems to be the extent of his influence prior to the discovery of a badly damaged manuscript at
375:
history dealing with the late
Republic have been lost, and are known only from a brief epitome, while other historians covered only portions of the span. The period from the death of
310:, whom he praises in his writing, and as there is no evidence that the historian survived his friend's downfall by any great length of time, it seems likely that he shared his fate.
386:
Velleius' subject matter consists largely of historical highlights and character portraits, omitting subtler if equally important details. He draws upon the historical writings of
993:
202:
371:
to the consulship of Marcus
Vinicius, in AD 30, is intact. It is particularly useful as the only connected narrative of events during this period; the portions of
328:("Publius Velleius Paterculus' two volumes of Roman History to the consul Marcus Vinicius"), but this was probably assigned the work by a copyist, or by one of the
306:, and from his description of events during the latter's consulship in AD 30, Velleius must still have been alive that year. But Velleius was among the friends of
277:. He continued as a senior member of Tiberius' staff until the future emperor's return to Rome in AD 12. While serving under Tiberius, Velleius was also elected
440:
894:, p. 265, noting "Velleius and Seianus were acquaintances of long date... it is a fair conjecture that Velleius shared the fate of Aelius Seianus".
332:. The work is frequently referred to as a "compendium of Roman history," which has also been used as the title, as have the more abbreviated
1041:
Gowing, A. M. (2005). Empire and Memory. The
Representation of the Roman Republic in Imperial Culture. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
998:
848:
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208:
Our remaining information comes from
Velleius' own brief description of his life, included in his history. He was born into a noble
406:, most of which have been lost. He also devotes some attention to Greek and Roman literature, and records unique details about
155:
434:
Velleius' style is characterized by the showy rhetoric, hyperbole, and exaggerated figures of speech that were typical of
212:
family about 19 BC, although the place of his birth is unknown. He was a great-great-great-grandson of
Minatus Magius of
125:, soldier and senator. His Roman history, written in a highly rhetorical style, covered the period from the end of the
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205:
was consul in the following year; but it is not apparent how either of them were related to the historian.
181:
1209:
1044:
Kramer, E. A. (2005). Book One of
Velleius’ History: Scope, Levels of Treatment, and Non-Roman Elements.
580:
303:
185:, an office that the historian is not known to have held, and it is thought to date from the reigns of
159:, printed in 1520, calls him "Publius", probably due to confusion with a Publius Velleius mentioned in
17:
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716:(1977 Cambridge U.P.; repr. 2004 paperback) = Cambridge Classical texts and commentaries 19.
703:(1983 Cambridge U.P.; repr. 2004 paperback) = Cambridge Classical texts and commentaries 25.
492:
167:. Some modern writers use the latter name, based on an inscription found on a milestone at
641:
273:
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1134:
8:
1199:
1058:
Starr, R. J. (1980). Velleius’ Literary Techniques and the Organization of his History.
476:
In his introduction to Velleius Paterculus, Frederick W. Shipley takes a middle ground:
1089:
391:
153:, the only ancient author to mention it, calls him "Marcus", but the title page of the
739:
717:
704:
683:
504:
221:
31:
738:, trans. F. W. Shipley; Loeb Classical Library 152 (Harvard University Press, 1924;
1034:
Gowing, A. M. (2010). Caesar Grabs my Pen: Writing on Civil War under Tiberius. In
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240:
229:
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438:. Modern appraisals of his approach and its results vary considerably. In the
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414:, but he curiously omits any mention of important literary figures such as
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or military commands, including his uncle, Capito, who was a member of the
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119:
37:
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Schultze, C. (2010). Universal and Particular in Velleius Paterculus. In
908:
Vellei Paterculi posterius volumen Historiae Rhomanae ad M. Vinicium cos.
515:
in 1515. Although corrupt and since lost, this formed the basis for the
168:
1065:
Sumner, G. V. (1970). The Truth about Velleius Paterculus: Prolegomena.
1020:
Connal, R. T. (2013). Velleius Paterculus: The Soldier and the Senator.
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C. Vellei Paterculi Historiae Rhomanae ad M. Vinicium cos. prius volumen
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P. Vellei Paterculi Historiae Romanae duo volumina ad M. Vinicium cos.
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Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association
256:
247:, and personally witnessed the meeting between the young general and
228:. Several of his ancestors in subsequent generations held important
213:
146:
122:
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Balmaceda, C. (2014). Virtues of Tiberius in Velleius’ "Histories."
701:
Velleius Paterculus: The Caesarian and Augustan Narrative (2.41-93)
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268:
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179:; but the inscription identifies this Gaius Velleius Paterculus as
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This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
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The work consists of two books, and was apparently conceived as a
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Few details of Velleius' life are known with certainty; even his
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in Rome's eastern provinces. In AD 2, he was with the army of
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to AD 30, but is most useful for the period from the death of
75:
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1055:
Edited by P. Liddel and A. Fear, 116–130. London: Duckworth.
799:, 1911 ed., vol. 27, p. 979 ("Velleius Paterculus, Marcus").
1002:. Vol. 27 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
403:
372:
318:
The original title of Velleius' history is uncertain. The
294:
designated Velleius and his brother, Magius Celer, for the
190:
96:
93:
78:
66:
662:(1894), xv. English translation by J. S. Watson in Bohn's
27:
Roman historian, soldier and senator (c. 19 BC – c. AD 31)
681:
Bibliotheca scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana
355:. The first covers the period from the aftermath of the
461:
A more critical view appears in the 1911 edition of the
936:
934:
932:
193:, by which time he is thought to have been dead. The
1053:
Historiae Mundi: Studies in Universal Historiography.
441:
Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology
99:
81:
30:"Velleius" redirects here. For the beetle genus, see
882:, vol. III, pp. 134, 135 ("C. Velleius Paterculus").
679:, ed. W. S. Watt (2nd ed. 1998. Saur, Stuttgart.) =
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72:
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658:F. Burmeister, "De Fontibus Vellei Paterculi," in
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1080:Syme, Ronald (1956). "Seianus on the Aventine".
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916:
1104:Edited by T. A. Dorey, 1–25. London: Routledge.
1100:Woodman, A. J. (1975). Velleius Paterculus. In
940:Shipley, introduction to Velleius Paterculus'
922:Shipley, introduction to Velleius Paterculus'
762:Shipley, introduction to Velleius Paterculus'
728:
1036:Citizens of Discord: Rome and Its Civil Wars.
913:
714:Velleius Paterculus: The Tiberian Narrative
259:. Two years later, Velleius was a cavalry
969:, J. Boardman, ed., Oxford (1986), p. 678.
677:Velleius Paterculus, Historiarum Libri Duo
660:Berliner Studien für classische Philologie
967:The Oxford History of the Classical World
1072:Syme, R. (1978). Mendacity in Velleius.
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197:referred to may be the same man who was
163:. Elsewhere, the same volume calls him
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880:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography
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290:Before his death in AD 14, the emperor
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1180:Livius.org: Marcus Velleius Paterculus
1102:Empire and Aftermath. Silver Latin II.
1067:Harvard Studies in Classical Philology
523:in 1520, and a later copy acquired by
1176:(Latin original, English translation)
792:
239:As a young man, Velleius served as a
1174:Velleius Paterculus: History of Rome
1088:(3). Franz Steiner Verlag: 257–266.
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298:. The emperor died before the
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1074:American Journal of Philology.
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1:
957:, London (1966), pp. 81, 148.
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1164:Resources in other libraries
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574:Johan Henrik Boeclerus, 1642
140:
7:
994:Velleius Paterculus, Marcus
736:Compendium of Roman History
729:Translation with Latin text
581:Nikolaes Heinsius the Elder
281:, an important step on the
224:for his actions during the
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263:serving in the command of
203:Lucius Velleius Paterculus
55:Marcus Velleius Paterculus
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1159:Resources in your library
1135:Resources in your library
485:
195:Gaius Velleius Paterculus
133:in 44 BC to the death of
1230:Silver Age Latin writers
1027:Cowan, E. ed., (2011).
614:Johann Caspar von Orelli
429:
383:is especially detailed.
324:on title page styles it
999:Encyclopædia Britannica
797:Encyclopædia Britannica
626:Friedrich Gottlob Haase
603:Karl Heinrich Frotscher
593:Pieter Burman the Elder
550:, Beatus Rhenanus, 1520
464:Encyclopædia Britannica
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175:, once part of Roman
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640:, 1898, reviewed by
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255:on the banks of the
1121:Velleius Paterculus
220:, who received the
1210:1st-century Romans
553:early editions by
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392:Quintus Hortensius
363:at the end of the
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664:Classical Library
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334:Historiae Romanae
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112: 19 BC
32:Velleius (beetle)
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587:John Hudson
379:to that of
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169:El Harrouch
1200:30s deaths
1189:Categories
1076:99: 45–63.
906:, on p. ;
849:1998, 1056
751:References
648:, May 1899
563:Jan Gruter
424:Propertius
357:Trojan War
249:Phraates V
226:Social War
137:in AD 14.
127:Trojan War
114: – c.
18:Paterculus
1015:Historia
926:, note 2.
892:Syme 1956
840:2006, 307
831:2006, 306
766:, note 1.
493:Civil War
455:Sallust's
342:Historiae
257:Euphrates
214:Aeculanum
210:Campanian
147:praenomen
141:Biography
123:historian
1046:Historia
501:Chronica
448:writes,
381:Augustus
361:Carthage
292:Augustus
279:quaestor
269:Germania
265:Tiberius
187:Claudius
151:Priscian
135:Augustus
118:) was a
1094:4474933
987::
599:Ruhnken
416:Plautus
369:Gracchi
346:History
314:History
308:Sejanus
300:comitia
261:prefect
253:Parthia
218:Samnium
177:Numidia
173:Algeria
161:Tacitus
1118:about
1092:
1082:Hermes
981:
742:
720:
707:
686:
634:, 1876
628:, 1858
622:, 1848
616:, 1835
595:, 1719
589:, 1693
583:, 1678
571:, 1639
565:, 1607
559:, 1591
542:, 1600
525:Orelli
513:Alsace
499:; the
486:Legacy
422:, and
420:Horace
402:, and
377:Caesar
373:Livy's
199:consul
131:Caesar
1090:JSTOR
497:Lucan
430:Style
336:, or
165:Gaius
120:Roman
740:ISBN
718:ISBN
705:ISBN
684:ISBN
410:and
404:Livy
191:Nero
996:".
810:CIL
644:in
511:in
503:of
344:or
267:in
251:of
216:in
189:or
171:in
1191::
1086:84
1084:.
931:^
915:^
856:^
845:AE
842:,
836:AE
833:,
827:AE
771:^
527:.
467::
444:,
418:,
398:,
394:,
390:,
348:.
236:.
109:c.
107:;
94:eɪ
85:,-
76:iː
1096:.
944:.
851:.
816:.
746:)
724:)
666:.
103:/
100:s
97:ə
91:l
88:ˈ
82:s
79:ə
73:l
70:ˈ
67:ɛ
64:v
61:/
57:(
34:.
20:)
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