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Annals XIII-XVI
Tacitus (Cornelius), famous Roman historian, was born in 55, 56 or 57 CE and lived to about 120. He became an orator, married in 77 a daughter of Julius Agricola before Agricola went to Britain, was quaestor in 81 or 82, a senator under the Flavian emperors, and a praetor in 88. After four years' absence he experienced the terrors of Emperor Domitian's last years and turned to historical writing. He was a consul in 97. Close friend of the younger Pliny, with him he successfully prosecuted Marius Priscus.
(i) Life and Character of Agricola, written in 97–98, specially interesting because of Agricola's career in Britain. (ii) Germania (98–99), an equally important description of the geography, anthropology, products, institutions, and social life and the tribes of the Germans as known to the Romans. (iii) Dialogue on Oratory ( Dialogus ), of unknown date; a lively conversation about the decline of oratory and education. (iv) Histories (probably issued in parts from 105 onwards), a great work originally consisting of at least twelve books covering the period 69–96 CE, but only Books I–IV and part of Book V survive, dealing in detail with the dramatic years 69–70. (v) Annals, Tacitus's other great work, originally covering the period 14–68 CE (Emperors Tiberius, Gaius, Claudius, Nero) and published between 115 and about 120. Of sixteen books at least, there survive Books I–IV (covering the years 14–28); a bit of Book V and all Book VI (31–37); part of Book XI (from 47); Books XII–XV and part of Book XVI (to 66).
Tacitus is renowned for his development of a pregnant concise style, character study, and psychological analysis, and for the often terrible story which he brilliantly tells. As a historian of the early Roman empire he is paramount.
The Loeb Classical Library edition of Tacitus is in five volumes.
(i) Life and Character of Agricola, written in 97–98, specially interesting because of Agricola's career in Britain. (ii) Germania (98–99), an equally important description of the geography, anthropology, products, institutions, and social life and the tribes of the Germans as known to the Romans. (iii) Dialogue on Oratory ( Dialogus ), of unknown date; a lively conversation about the decline of oratory and education. (iv) Histories (probably issued in parts from 105 onwards), a great work originally consisting of at least twelve books covering the period 69–96 CE, but only Books I–IV and part of Book V survive, dealing in detail with the dramatic years 69–70. (v) Annals, Tacitus's other great work, originally covering the period 14–68 CE (Emperors Tiberius, Gaius, Claudius, Nero) and published between 115 and about 120. Of sixteen books at least, there survive Books I–IV (covering the years 14–28); a bit of Book V and all Book VI (31–37); part of Book XI (from 47); Books XII–XV and part of Book XVI (to 66).
Tacitus is renowned for his development of a pregnant concise style, character study, and psychological analysis, and for the often terrible story which he brilliantly tells. As a historian of the early Roman empire he is paramount.
The Loeb Classical Library edition of Tacitus is in five volumes.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1937
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About the author
Publius Cornelius Tacitus
2,763 books372 followersborn perhaps 55
died perhaps 120
From the death of Augustus in 14 Histories and Annals , greatest works of Publius Cornelius Tacitus, Roman public official, concern the period to Domitian in 96.
Publius Cornelius Tacitus served as a senator of the empire. The major portions examine the reigns of Tiberius, Claudius, Nero and those four emperors, who reigned in the year. They span the empire to the years of the first Jewish war in 70. One enormous four-books long lacuna survives in the texts.
Publius Cornelius Tacitus discusses oratory in dialogue format in Dialogus de oratoribus , Germania in De origine et situ Germanorum , and biographical notes about Gnaeus Julius Agricola, his father-in-law, primarily during his campaign in Britannia (see De vita et moribus Iulii Agricolae ).
died perhaps 120
From the death of Augustus in 14 Histories and Annals , greatest works of Publius Cornelius Tacitus, Roman public official, concern the period to Domitian in 96.
Publius Cornelius Tacitus served as a senator of the empire. The major portions examine the reigns of Tiberius, Claudius, Nero and those four emperors, who reigned in the year. They span the empire to the years of the first Jewish war in 70. One enormous four-books long lacuna survives in the texts.
Publius Cornelius Tacitus discusses oratory in dialogue format in Dialogus de oratoribus , Germania in De origine et situ Germanorum , and biographical notes about Gnaeus Julius Agricola, his father-in-law, primarily during his campaign in Britannia (see De vita et moribus Iulii Agricolae ).
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 24, 2025
December 2018. It was a dry winter morning in Delhi when I pulled out Annals XIII–XVI—Tacitus, sharp-tongued, ironical, never sycophantic.
I wasn’t just reading; I was preparing. The whiteboard behind me still had notes from Caesar’s Gallic Wars, but today’s session was on Nero—decadence, fire, paranoia.
Chanakya’s IAS Academy classroom was half-lit, projector humming. I had a room full of future bureaucrats waiting to hear why Tacitus still mattered. And oh, did he. As I read and re-read his takedown of imperial vice, of power’s excesses and Rome’s descent into theatrical cruelty, I kept thinking how eerily modern it all sounded.
Tacitus, especially in these later annals, isn’t simply chronicling; he’s cutting. His portraits of Nero, Seneca, Poppaea—they feel less like dusty history and more like a slow-burning political thriller. His Latin, even in translation, is surgical—cold, cynical, brilliant. The class responded with that rare silence of real engagement.
We spoke of empire, of narrative control, of how Tacitus weaponized understatement. “The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws,” I quoted, and someone in the back quietly murmured, “Nothing’s changed.”
Teaching Annals XIII–XVI was not about the past—it was about warning signs. Tacitus gave me language to discuss ambition, spectacle, and collapse. That morning, ancient Rome sat right there among us, haunting and instructing.
I wasn’t just reading; I was preparing. The whiteboard behind me still had notes from Caesar’s Gallic Wars, but today’s session was on Nero—decadence, fire, paranoia.
Chanakya’s IAS Academy classroom was half-lit, projector humming. I had a room full of future bureaucrats waiting to hear why Tacitus still mattered. And oh, did he. As I read and re-read his takedown of imperial vice, of power’s excesses and Rome’s descent into theatrical cruelty, I kept thinking how eerily modern it all sounded.
Tacitus, especially in these later annals, isn’t simply chronicling; he’s cutting. His portraits of Nero, Seneca, Poppaea—they feel less like dusty history and more like a slow-burning political thriller. His Latin, even in translation, is surgical—cold, cynical, brilliant. The class responded with that rare silence of real engagement.
We spoke of empire, of narrative control, of how Tacitus weaponized understatement. “The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws,” I quoted, and someone in the back quietly murmured, “Nothing’s changed.”
Teaching Annals XIII–XVI was not about the past—it was about warning signs. Tacitus gave me language to discuss ambition, spectacle, and collapse. That morning, ancient Rome sat right there among us, haunting and instructing.
didnt-finish
December 23, 2022I think we read the section on Nero, who participated in chariot racing and played the fiddle while Rome burned to the ground
September 30, 2014
Why did I start at books 13-16 (Vol 5)? I wanted to read about Nero, Agrippina and what Tacitus had to say about the Christians. What a story!
Tacitus is a great storyteller. Here features the deeds and death of Agrippina, the brutality of Tigellinus, the fire of Rome, ferocious remarks about Christians, Roman Law, Boudicca, and many other deaths Roman style all feature in this fantastic, but bloody story, of Nero and his world. Some parts might surprise which show a compassionate side to the ruler in terms of the fire of Rome, as oppose to 'fiddling' while Rome burned.
A very enjoyable read. Can't wait to get to the earlier books.
Tacitus is a great storyteller. Here features the deeds and death of Agrippina, the brutality of Tigellinus, the fire of Rome, ferocious remarks about Christians, Roman Law, Boudicca, and many other deaths Roman style all feature in this fantastic, but bloody story, of Nero and his world. Some parts might surprise which show a compassionate side to the ruler in terms of the fire of Rome, as oppose to 'fiddling' while Rome burned.
A very enjoyable read. Can't wait to get to the earlier books.
Read
May 9, 2008Largely concerning the reign of the emperor Nero circa AD 50
Read extensive extracts, possibly all, in the original Latin during AS level studies.
Read extensive extracts, possibly all, in the original Latin during AS level studies.
January 11, 2016
Spell-binding and riveting look--despite lacunae--at the Julian successors of Augustus, especially Nero.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews