Ruqayyah Snyder
A statue of Tacitus, the Roman historian and politician, stands outside the Austrian Parliament Building in Vienna. The statue is one of many classical motifs that decorate the building, including statues of Greek and Roman figures such as Thucydides, Polybius, Xenophon, Herodotus, Julius Caesar, Titus Livius, and Sallust. Tacitus is widely regarded as one of the greatest Roman historians, with his two major works, the Annals and the Histories, examining the history of the Roman Empire from the death of Augustus in 14 AD to the death of Domitian in 96 AD.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for the placement of the statue | To honour Tacitus, a Roman historian and senator |
| Location | In front of the Austrian Parliament Building, Vienna |
| Style | Classical |
| Subject | Tacitus, a Roman historian and senator |
| Work | Two major works: "Annals" and "Histories" |
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What You'll Learn
Tacitus's works
Publius Cornelius Tacitus, known simply as Tacitus, was a Roman historian and politician. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest Roman historians by modern scholars.
Tacitus was born in 56 or 57 CE, possibly in northern Italy (Cisalpine Gaul) or, more probably, in southern Gaul (Gallia Narbonensis, or what is now southeastern France). The place and date of his birth, as well as his praenomen (first name), are not known.
Tacitus studied rhetoric, which provided a general literary education, including the practice of prose composition. This training was a systematic preparation for administrative office. He studied to be an advocate at law under two leading orators, Marcus Aper and Julius Secundus. He then began his career with a "vigintivirate" (one of 20 appointments to minor magistracies) and a military tribunate (on the staff of a legion).
Tacitus's surviving major works include the "Annals" (Latin: "Annales") and the "Histories" (Latin: "Historiae"). These works examine the reigns of the emperors Tiberius, Claudius, Nero, and those who reigned in the Year of the Four Emperors (69 CE). They span the history of the Roman Empire from the death of Augustus (14 CE) to the death of Domitian (96 CE), although there are substantial lacunae in the surviving texts.
Tacitus's other writings discuss oratory (in dialogue format, see "Dialogus de oratoribus"), "Germania" (in "De origine et situ Germanorum"), and the life of his father-in-law, Agricola (the general responsible for much of the Roman conquest of Britain), mainly focusing on his campaign in Britannia ("De vita et moribus Iulii Agricolae").
In addition to these works, Tacitus also wrote about the Germanic tribes in "Germania," composed in 98 CE. This work describes the Germanic tribes at the Roman frontier on the Rhine.
Tacitus cites some of his sources directly, including Cluvius Rufus, Fabius Rusticus, and Pliny the Elder. He also made use of collections of letters ("epistolarium") and "exitus illustrium virorum", a collection of books by those who were antithetical to the emperors.
A statue of Tacitus stands outside the Austrian Parliament Building in Vienna, along with statues of other notable historical figures.
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Tacitus's statue
The Austrian Parliament Building in Vienna is home to a statue of Tacitus, the Roman historian and politician. The statue is one of several classical motifs that decorate the two large ramps at the front of the building, including statues of Thucydides, Polybius, Xenophon, Herodotus (all Greek), Julius Caesar, Titus Livius and Sallust (all Roman). The building was designed by Hansen in a Greek style, reflecting the ideas of law and freedom, and other concepts popularised by Hellenic culture.
Publius Cornelius Tacitus, known simply as Tacitus, was born c. AD 56 and died c. 120. He was a senator and historian of the Roman Empire, and his two major works, the "Annals" and the "Histories", are considered among the most impressive history books ever written. These works examine the history of the Roman Empire from the death of Augustus (14 AD) to the death of Domitian (96 AD), and the first Jewish-Roman war in 70 AD.
Tacitus studied rhetoric in Rome, which provided him with a general literary education, including the practice of prose composition. He began his career with a "vigintivirate" (one of 20 appointments to minor magistracies) and a military tribunate. In 77 AD, he married Julia Agricola, the daughter of the famous general Agricola, who was responsible for much of the Roman conquest of Britain. Through this marriage, Tacitus benefitted from his father-in-law's political connections. He gained the quaestorship, probably in 81, and in 88, he attained a praetorship. In 93, he returned to Rome, and between 93 and 97, he was elected to the senate. In 97, he was elected consulship and delivered the funeral oration for Verginius Rufus, a famous soldier. In 98, he wrote "De vita Julii Agricolae" and "De origine et situ Germanorum" (the Germania), reflecting his personal interests.
Tacitus's works are considered to be of immense historical value, offering insights into the Roman Empire and the world around him. His dedication to documenting and preserving the historical record has ensured that the stories and knowledge of that time have been passed down through the centuries.
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The Austrian Parliament building
The building was designed by Hansen, who deliberately chose a Greek style to reflect the ideas of law and freedom, and other relevant concepts popularized and/or developed by Hellenic culture. Classical motifs appear throughout the architecture, including statues of Greek and Roman figures that decorate the two large ramps at the front. These include statues of Thucydides, Polybius, Xenophon, Herodotus, Julius Caesar, Tacitus, Titus Livius, and Sallust.
The statue of Tacitus outside the Austrian Parliament building is a modern one, representing the Roman senator, orator, and historian of the Roman Empire. His two major works, the "Annals" and the "Histories," examine the history of the Roman Empire from the death of Augustus in 14 AD to the death of Domitian in 96 AD. Tacitus's works also cover the first Jewish-Roman War in 70 AD.
Publius Cornelius Tacitus, known simply as Tacitus, was born c. 56 AD and died c. 120 AD. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest Roman historians by modern scholars. His works provide valuable insights into the reigns of emperors such as Tiberius, Claudius, and Nero, as well as those who reigned during the Year of the Four Emperors in 69 AD.
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Tacitus's life
Publius Cornelius Tacitus, known simply as Tacitus, was a Roman historian, politician, and public official. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest Roman historians by modern scholars.
Tacitus was born c. 56 CE, possibly in northern Italy (Cisalpine Gaul) or, more probably, in southern Gaul (Gallia Narbonensis, or what is now southeastern France). The place and date of his birth, as well as his praenomen (first name), are not known. In the letters of Sidonius Apollinaris, his name is Gaius, but in the major surviving manuscript of his work, his name is given as Publius. Tacitus was born into an equestrian family, and his father may have been Cornelius Tacitus, a Roman knight.
As a young man, Tacitus studied rhetoric in Rome to prepare for a career in law and politics. He studied under two leading orators, Marcus Aper and Julius Secundus, and began his career with a vigintivirate (one of 20 appointments to minor magistracies) and a military tribunate. In 77 CE, he married Julia Agricola, the daughter of the famous general and governor of Britain, Gnaeus Julius Agricola. Little is known of their domestic life, except that Tacitus loved hunting and the outdoors.
Under Domitian, in 88, Tacitus was appointed one of fifteen commissioners to preside at the celebration of the secular games. In the same year, he held the office of praetor and gained a quaestorship, a post with legal jurisdiction. Sometime between 93 and 97, he was elected to the senate, and during this period, he witnessed the judicial murders of many of Rome's best citizens under Nero's reign. In 97, under the emperor Nerva, he rose to the consulship and delivered the funeral oration for Verginius Rufus, a soldier who refused to compete for power after Nero's death. In 98, Tacitus wrote two works: "De vita Julii Agricolae" (or "Agricola"), a biographical account of his father-in-law, and "De origine et situ Germanorum" (or "Germania"), a description of the Germanic tribes. In 99, he was appointed by the senate, along with Pliny, to conduct the prosecution against a great political offender, Marius Priscus, which they won. The exact date of Tacitus's death is not known, but it is estimated to be around 120 CE.
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The Roman Empire
Publius Cornelius Tacitus, known simply as Tacitus, was a Roman historian and politician. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest Roman historians by modern scholars. The surviving portions of his two major works—the "Annals" (Latin: Annales) and the "Histories" (Latin: Historiae)—examine the history of the Roman Empire from the death of Augustus (14 AD) to the death of Domitian (96 AD), with the "Histories" specifically focusing on the period from 69 AD to 96 AD. These works provide valuable insights into the reigns of the emperors Tiberius, Claudius, and Nero, as well as those who ruled during the Year of the Four Emperors (69 AD).
Tacitus was born around 56 or 57 CE, possibly in northern Italy (Cisalpine Gaul) or, more likely, in southern Gaul (Gallia Narbonensis, present-day southeastern France). His family background is uncertain, but he is believed to have come from a good family, with his father possibly being Cornelius Tacitus, a Roman knight. As a young man, Tacitus studied rhetoric in Rome, preparing for a career in law and politics. He married Julia Agricola, the daughter of the famous general Agricola, in 77 or 78 CE. This connection likely aided his social and political advancement.
Tacitus held various political and administrative positions throughout his career. He gained the quaestorship, a responsible provincial post, around 81 CE. In 88 CE, he attained a praetorship, a position with legal jurisdiction. During this time, he also served as one of fifteen commissioners presiding over the secular games. In 93 CE, after a four-year absence from Rome, he returned and witnessed the judicial murders of many of Rome's prominent citizens under Nero's reign. Between 93 and 97 CE, he was elected to the senate, and in 97 CE, he rose to the consulship, delivering the funeral oration for Verginius Rufus. In 98 CE, he wrote two notable works: "De vita Julii Agricolae", a biography of his father-in-law, and "De origine et situ Germanorum" (the Germania), describing the Germanic tribes.
Tacitus's works are not only significant for their historical value but also for their literary style. He is considered one of the greatest prose stylists in the Latin language. His writings include "Dialogus de oratoribus", a dialogue on oratory, and "Germania" (in De origine et situ Germanorum), which provides insights into the manners and customs of the Germanic tribes. Additionally, he wrote about the life of his father-in-law, Agricola, focusing on his campaign in Britannia (De vita et moribus Iulii Agricolae).
To honour his contributions as a historian of the Roman Empire, a statue of Tacitus stands outside the Austrian Parliament Building in Vienna. This statue, along with others, decorates the two large ramps at the front of the building, reflecting the importance of historical figures in shaping the concepts of law, freedom, and democracy.
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Frequently asked questions
The statue of Tacitus was placed in front of the Austrian Parliament building to honour the Roman senator, orator, and historian who documented the world around him for future generations. His two major works, the "Annals" and the "Histories", are considered some of the most impressive history books ever written.
Tacitus (c. AD 56 – c. 120) was a Roman historian, politician, and orator. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest Roman historians by modern scholars.
His two major works are the "Annals" (in Latin: Annales) and the "Histories" (in Latin: Historiae). These works examine the history of the Roman Empire from the death of Augustus (14 AD) to the first Jewish-Roman war in 70 AD.
The Austrian Parliament building is located in Vienna, at Dr. Karl-Renner-Ring 1-3, 1010 Vienna.
