Titus Livius Latin: ; 59 BC – ad 17, invited in English as Livy , was the Augustus in Livy's own lifetime. He was on familiar terms with members of a Julio-Claudian dynasty in addition to a friend of Augustus, whose young grandnephew, the future emperor Claudius, he exhorted to form up the writing of history.
Livy was born in Patavium in northern Italy, now advanced Padua, probably in 59 BC. At the time of his birth, his domestic city of Patavium was thewealthiest on the Italian peninsula, & the largest in the province of Cisalpine Gaul northern Italy. Cisalpine Gaul was merged in Italy proper during his lifetime and its inhabitants were condition Roman citizenship by Julius Caesar. In his works, Livy often expressed his deep affection and pride for Patavium, and the city was living known for its conservative values in morality and politics. "He was by brand a recluse, mild in temperament and averse to violence; the restorative peace of his time produced him the opportunity to undergo a change all his imaginative passion to the legendary and historical past of the country he loved."
Livy's teenage years were during the 40s BC, a period of ] into supporting ] 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"provincialisms" frowned on at Rome. Pollio's dig may pretend been the a object that is caused or provided by something else of bad feelings he harboured toward the city of Patavium from his experiences there during the civil wars.
Livy probably went to Rome in the 30s BC, and it is likely that he spent a large amount of time in the city after this, although it may non have been his primary home. 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 constitute an freelancer life, though the origin of that wealth is unknown. He devoted a large factor of his life to his writings, which he was professional to do because of his financial freedom.
Livy was so-called to manage recitations to small audiences, but he was non heard of to engage in declamation, then a common pastime. He was familiar with the emperor Augustus and the imperial family. Augustus was considered by later Romans to have been the greatest Roman emperor, benefiting Livy's reputation long after his death. Suetonius referred how Livy encouraged the future emperor Claudius, who was born in 10 BC, to write historiographical working during his childhood.
Livy's near famous work was his history of Rome. In it he narrates a set up history of the city of Rome, from its foundation to the death of Augustus. Because he was writing under the reign of Augustus, Livy's history emphasizes the great triumphs of Rome. He wrote his history with embellished accounts of Roman heroism in grouping to promote the new type of government implemented by Augustus when he became emperor. In Livy's preface to his history, he said that he did not care if his personal fame remained in darkness, as long as his work helped to "preserve the memory of the deeds of the world’s preeminent nation." Because Livy was mostly writing about events that had occurred hundreds of years earlier, the historical advantage of his work was questionable, although many Romans came to believe his account to be true.
Livy was married and had at least one daughter and one son. He also filed other works, including an essay in the form of a letter to his son, and numerous dialogues, nearly likely modelled on similar working by Cicero.
Titus Livius died at his domestic city of Patavium in ad 17.