Speech dialogue.
Book completion time
It is generally believed that this book was written around 80 AD, and some scholars believe that it was written between 98 AD and 102 AD. So far, there is no conclusion.
basic content
In this work, Tacitus reveals the evolution of Roman writing style and the change of social atmosphere reflected by the evolution of Roman writing style by discussing the reasons for the decline of Roman eloquence, and links this with the rise and fall of Roman society.
theme
In his view, in Rome, nobles could freely express their various political views, so the eloquence and prose style at that time were clear and bold. After the establishment of the monarchy, eloquence and prose gradually declined, and sophistry and flattery were replaced by the oppression of autocracy and the density of the Internet, and speech was suppressed. This work systematically and intensively reflects Tacitus' dissatisfaction with the social and political atmosphere caused by the autocratic rule in the imperial period.
Biography of agricola
Book completion time
Published in 98 AD, this work is a biography written by Tacitus for his father-in-law.
brief Introduction of the content
Agriba was a great Roman strategist and politician at the end of/kloc-0. In 78 ad, he served as consul, and in the same year he became governor of Rome, England. During his tenure, he used the army year after year to deal with local residents, which strengthened Rome's rule over Britain. Tacitus described his father-in-law's military achievements and merits in a large amount of space in his book, molded him into a perfect figure, and spared no effort to praise his moral quality, trying to take him as an example to illustrate that "even under tyranny, there may be great men who are not in cahoots and flattering."
At the same time, this work also records the living customs and social system of the early inhabitants of the British Island, as well as the geographical characteristics of the island, which provides valuable information for folklore, anthropology and geography later. You can also see how the Roman Empire managed Britain at that time.
Germania
Basic information
The full name of this book is "On the Origin, Distribution and Customs of Germans", which was also published in 98 AD. This is the earliest, most detailed and complete document about the social organization, economic life, customs and religious beliefs of ancient Germans.
Narrative content
At that time, Germans were in the process of transforming from clan society to country, and they still kept a lot of relics of primitive times in their social life. However, in Tacitus' works, they are full of vitality and fighting spirit, which is in sharp contrast with the corruption and degeneration of Roman society at that time: one is a new and prosperous society, and the other is a declining society.
The meaning of the work
Although the Germanic Annals is not long, it is concise and vivid, and has extremely high historical value, especially in recording Germanic customs and economic life, and it has preserved extremely valuable information. Engels took it as one of the main historical materials when he wrote his books, such as Family, Private Ownership and the Origin of the State, and On the History of Ancient Germans. In addition, the description of the origin and spread of Germans in the Germanic Annals has become an important evidence in the historical debate between the Germanic origin theory and the Roman origin theory. During the Renaissance, humanists such as Baudrillard, ascoli and Seltis discovered Tacitus' books, and after finishing and publishing them, there was a debate about the origin of Gaul and Teutonic people. /kloc-In the 9th century, when there was a conflict between Germany and France on the ownership of Alsace and Lorraine, both sides took this book as their own argument basis.
"History" (Historiae, also translated as "Roman history")
Basic information
It is generally believed that the writing of this book began at 102 and was completed at 109. Book *** 12 (14), only the first four volumes and the beginning of the fifth volume are left. It covers the period from the death of Nero in 68 AD to the death of Titus Flaviu Domitian in 96 AD.
Narrative content
The content includes the history of the whole Flavian dynasty. However, the rest of the content is only until August 70 AD. Tacitus recorded contemporary historical events in this book, many of which he experienced personally. Although some places are a bit subjective, they are basically historical records.
The meaning of the work
This book was written by Tacitus 1 official history book. Although its title is History, its genre is still the prevailing chronological style at that time, which is no different from the chronological style he wrote later, so that in order to keep the chronological style neat, he had to interrupt the narrative plot and narrate it in many places.
Abolish (also translated into Roman chronicle)
Basic information
The writing time of this book is about 1 15 to 1 17. Book *** 16, at present, only 1 to 4 volumes,1to 15 volumes, and the remnants of volumes 5, 6 and 16 are completely preserved.
Narrative content
The historical events described in this book began with the death of Augustus and Tiberius in 14 A.D. and ended with the death of Nero in 68 A.D., which is consistent with the narrative time of history and includes the historical events of the whole Claudius dynasty.
The meaning of the work
Chronicle is Tacitus' work in his later years. In chronological order, its narrative content is earlier than history, but its writing time is later. This is because Tacitus began to write historical works shortly after the collapse of the Flavian dynasty, and the brutal rule of the Flavian dynasty (especially Titus Flavius Domitianus) made Tacitus unforgettable. He wrote history in order to draw lessons from painful experiences, and it is an account of painful memories. Later, in order to further explore the evolution and development of tyranny, he went back and wrote the History of Early Empire.
Combining history with chronicle, the historical events described by Tacitus began in A.D. 14 and ended in A.D. 98, which roughly included the history of the Roman Empire in A.D. 1 century. In these two works, Tacitus' critical attitude towards his time is more obvious. With the vision and insight of a historian, he vividly described and profoundly exposed the social situation and dark side of the early Roman Empire.