470:
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.
461:
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.
27:
525:
967:
446:, 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.
442:
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
469:
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
441:
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
460:
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
356:, 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
479:
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
484:, 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
874:
291:
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
415:. 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.
183:
496:
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
364:
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
299:, 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.
375:
Velleius' subject matter consists largely of historical highlights and character portraits, omitting subtler if equally important details. He draws upon the historical writings of
982:
191:
360:
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
317:("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
295:, 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
266:. 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
429:
883:, p. 265, noting "Velleius and Seianus were acquaintances of long date... it is a fair conjecture that Velleius shared the fate of Aelius Seianus".
321:. 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
1030:
Gowing, A. M. (2005). Empire and Memory. The
Representation of the Roman Republic in Imperial Culture. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
987:
837:
828:
819:
802:
197:
Our remaining information comes from
Velleius' own brief description of his life, included in his history. He was born into a noble
395:, most of which have been lost. He also devotes some attention to Greek and Roman literature, and records unique details about
144:
423:
Velleius' style is characterized by the showy rhetoric, hyperbole, and exaggerated figures of speech that were typical of
201:
family about 19 BC, although the place of his birth is unknown. He was a great-great-great-grandson of
Minatus Magius of
114:, soldier and senator. His Roman history, written in a highly rhetorical style, covered the period from the end of the
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194:
was consul in the following year; but it is not apparent how either of them were related to the historian.
170:
1198:
1033:
Kramer, E. A. (2005). Book One of
Velleius’ History: Scope, Levels of Treatment, and Non-Roman Elements.
569:
292:
174:, an office that the historian is not known to have held, and it is thought to date from the reigns of
148:, printed in 1520, calls him "Publius", probably due to confusion with a Publius Velleius mentioned in
452:
1208:
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705:(1977 Cambridge U.P.; repr. 2004 paperback) = Cambridge Classical texts and commentaries 19.
692:(1983 Cambridge U.P.; repr. 2004 paperback) = Cambridge Classical texts and commentaries 25.
481:
156:. Some modern writers use the latter name, based on an inscription found on a milestone at
630:
262:
1147:
1123:
8:
1188:
1047:
Starr, R. J. (1980). Velleius’ Literary Techniques and the Organization of his History.
465:
In his introduction to Velleius Paterculus, Frederick W. Shipley takes a middle ground:
1078:
380:
142:, the only ancient author to mention it, calls him "Marcus", but the title page of the
728:
706:
693:
672:
493:
210:
20:
727:, trans. F. W. Shipley; Loeb Classical Library 152 (Harvard University Press, 1924;
1023:
Gowing, A. M. (2010). Caesar Grabs my Pen: Writing on Civil War under Tiberius. In
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400:
229:
218:
49:
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37:
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427:. Modern appraisals of his approach and its results vary considerably. In the
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403:, 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
187:
108:
26:
1040:
Schultze, C. (2010). Universal and Particular in Velleius Paterculus. In
897:
Vellei Paterculi posterius volumen Historiae Rhomanae ad M. Vinicium cos.
504:
in 1515. Although corrupt and since lost, this formed the basis for the
157:
1054:
Sumner, G. V. (1970). The Truth about Velleius Paterculus: Prolegomena.
1009:
Connal, R. T. (2013). Velleius Paterculus: The Soldier and the Senator.
893:
C. Vellei Paterculi Historiae Rhomanae ad M. Vinicium cos. prius volumen
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412:
345:
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115:
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P. Vellei Paterculi Historiae Romanae duo volumina ad M. Vinicium cos.
1049:
Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association
245:
236:, and personally witnessed the meeting between the young general and
217:. Several of his ancestors in subsequent generations held important
202:
135:
111:
1002:
Balmaceda, C. (2014). Virtues of Tiberius in Velleius’ "Histories."
690:
Velleius Paterculus: The Caesarian and Augustan Narrative (2.41-93)
369:
349:
280:
267:
257:
253:
198:
175:
168:; 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
64:
485:
1044:
Edited by P. Liddel and A. Fear, 116–130. London: Duckworth.
788:, 1911 ed., vol. 27, p. 979 ("Velleius Paterculus, Marcus").
991:. Vol. 27 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
392:
361:
307:
The original title of Velleius' history is uncertain. The
283:
designated Velleius and his brother, Magius Celer, for the
179:
85:
82:
67:
55:
651:(1894), xv. English translation by J. S. Watson in Bohn's
16:
Roman historian, soldier and senator (c. 19 BC – c. AD 31)
670:
Bibliotheca scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana
344:. The first covers the period from the aftermath of the
450:
A more critical view appears in the 1911 edition of the
925:
923:
921:
182:, by which time he is thought to have been dead. The
1042:
Historiae Mundi: Studies in Universal Historiography.
430:
Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology
88:
70:
19:"Velleius" redirects here. For the beetle genus, see
871:, vol. III, pp. 134, 135 ("C. Velleius Paterculus").
668:, ed. W. S. Watt (2nd ed. 1998. Saur, Stuttgart.) =
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61:
52:
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76:
58:
647:F. Burmeister, "De Fontibus Vellei Paterculi," in
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1069:Syme, Ronald (1956). "Seianus on the Aventine".
907:
905:
1093:Edited by T. A. Dorey, 1–25. London: Routledge.
1089:Woodman, A. J. (1975). Velleius Paterculus. In
929:Shipley, introduction to Velleius Paterculus'
911:Shipley, introduction to Velleius Paterculus'
751:Shipley, introduction to Velleius Paterculus'
717:
1025:Citizens of Discord: Rome and Its Civil Wars.
902:
703:Velleius Paterculus: The Tiberian Narrative
248:. Two years later, Velleius was a cavalry
958:, J. Boardman, ed., Oxford (1986), p. 678.
666:Velleius Paterculus, Historiarum Libri Duo
649:Berliner Studien für classische Philologie
956:The Oxford History of the Classical World
1061:Syme, R. (1978). Mendacity in Velleius.
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186:referred to may be the same man who was
152:. Elsewhere, the same volume calls him
25:
869:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography
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279:Before his death in AD 14, the emperor
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1169:Livius.org: Marcus Velleius Paterculus
1091:Empire and Aftermath. Silver Latin II.
1056:Harvard Studies in Classical Philology
512:in 1520, and a later copy acquired by
1165:(Latin original, English translation)
781:
228:As a young man, Velleius served as a
1163:Velleius Paterculus: History of Rome
1077:(3). Franz Steiner Verlag: 257–266.
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1018:Velleius Paterculus: Making History.
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30:Illustrated title page of the 1520
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1020:Swansea: Classical Press of Wales.
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1027:Oxford: Oxford University Press.
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287:. The emperor died before the
276:, filling that office in AD 7.
1063:American Journal of Philology.
944:A Handbook of Latin Literature
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1:
946:, London (1966), pp. 81, 148.
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1153:Resources in other libraries
1129:Resources in other libraries
563:Johan Henrik Boeclerus, 1642
129:
7:
983:Velleius Paterculus, Marcus
725:Compendium of Roman History
718:Translation with Latin text
570:Nikolaes Heinsius the Elder
270:, an important step on the
213:for his actions during the
10:
1235:
302:
252:serving in the command of
192:Lucius Velleius Paterculus
44:Marcus Velleius Paterculus
18:
1148:Resources in your library
1124:Resources in your library
474:
184:Gaius Velleius Paterculus
122:in 44 BC to the death of
1219:Silver Age Latin writers
1016:Cowan, E. ed., (2011).
603:Johann Caspar von Orelli
418:
372:is especially detailed.
313:on title page styles it
988:Encyclopædia Britannica
786:Encyclopædia Britannica
615:Friedrich Gottlob Haase
592:Karl Heinrich Frotscher
582:Pieter Burman the Elder
539:, Beatus Rhenanus, 1520
453:Encyclopædia Britannica
1204:Ancient Roman soldiers
1194:1st-century historians
1137:By Velleius Paterculus
609:Justus Friedrich Kritz
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385:Gnaeus Pompeius Trogus
348:to the destruction of
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1214:Writers from Campania
723:Velleius Paterculus,
590:, 1789, reprinted by
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164:, once part of Roman
29:
643:On the sources see
631:William Warde Fowler
629:, 1898, reviewed by
263:praefectus castrorum
244:on the banks of the
1110:Velleius Paterculus
209:, who received the
1199:1st-century Romans
542:early editions by
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381:Quintus Hortensius
352:at the end of the
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1105:Library resources
653:Classical Library
494:Sulpicius Severus
342:universal history
323:Historiae Romanae
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101: 19 BC
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942:H.J. Rose,
899:, on p. 12.
803:VIII, 10311
594:, 1830–1839
576:John Hudson
368:to that of
319:grammarians
285:praetorship
158:El Harrouch
1189:30s deaths
1178:Categories
1065:99: 45–63.
895:, on p. ;
838:1998, 1056
740:References
637:, May 1899
552:Jan Gruter
413:Propertius
346:Trojan War
238:Phraates V
215:Social War
126:in AD 14.
116:Trojan War
103: – c.
1004:Historia
915:, note 2.
881:Syme 1956
829:2006, 307
820:2006, 306
755:, note 1.
482:Civil War
444:Sallust's
331:Historiae
246:Euphrates
203:Aeculanum
199:Campanian
136:praenomen
130:Biography
112:historian
1035:Historia
490:Chronica
437:writes,
370:Augustus
350:Carthage
281:Augustus
268:quaestor
258:Germania
254:Tiberius
176:Claudius
140:Priscian
124:Augustus
107:) was a
1083:4474933
976::
588:Ruhnken
405:Plautus
358:Gracchi
335:History
303:History
297:Sejanus
289:comitia
250:prefect
242:Parthia
207:Samnium
166:Numidia
162:Algeria
150:Tacitus
1107:about
1081:
1071:Hermes
970:
731:
709:
696:
675:
623:, 1876
617:, 1858
611:, 1848
605:, 1835
584:, 1719
578:, 1693
572:, 1678
560:, 1639
554:, 1607
548:, 1591
531:, 1600
514:Orelli
502:Alsace
488:; the
475:Legacy
411:, and
409:Horace
391:, and
366:Caesar
362:Livy's
188:consul
120:Caesar
1079:JSTOR
486:Lucan
419:Style
325:, or
154:Gaius
109:Roman
729:ISBN
707:ISBN
694:ISBN
673:ISBN
399:and
393:Livy
180:Nero
985:".
799:CIL
633:in
500:in
492:of
333:or
256:in
240:of
205:in
178:or
160:in
1180::
1075:84
1073:.
920:^
904:^
845:^
834:AE
831:,
825:AE
822:,
816:AE
760:^
516:.
456::
433:,
407:,
387:,
383:,
379:,
337:.
225:.
98:c.
96:;
83:eɪ
74:,-
65:iː
1085:.
933:.
840:.
805:.
735:)
713:)
655:.
92:/
89:s
86:ə
80:l
77:ˈ
71:s
68:ə
62:l
59:ˈ
56:ɛ
53:v
50:/
46:(
23:.
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