Florus
Three main sets of works are attributed to Florus (a Roman cognomen): Virgilius orator an poeta, the Epitome of Roman History and a collection of 14 short poems (66 lines in all). As to whether these were composed by the same person, or set of people, is unclear, but the works are variously attributed to:
- Publius Annius Florus, described as a Roman poet and rhetorician.
- Julius Florus, described as an ancient Roman poet, orator, and author who was born around 74 AD and died around 130 AD[1] Florus was born in Africa,[1] but raised in Rome.
- Lucius Annaeus Florus (circa 74 – 130 AD[2]), a Roman historian, who lived in the time of Trajan and Hadrian and was also born in Africa.
Virgilius orator an poeta
The introduction to a dialogue called Virgilius orator an poeta is extant, in which the author (whose name is given as Publius Annius Florus) states that he was born in
Poems
Florus was also an established poet.[4] He was once thought to have been "the first in order of a number of second-century North African writers who exercised a considerable influence on Latin literature, and also the first of the poetae neoterici or novelli (new-fashioned poets) of Hadrian's reign, whose special characteristic was the use of lighter and graceful meters (anapaestic and iambic dimeters), which had hitherto found little favour."[3] Since Cameron's article on the topic, however, the existence of such a school has been widely called into question, in part because the remnants of all poets supposedly involved are too scantily attested for any definitive judgment.[5]
The little poems will be found in
Some his poems include "Quality of Life", "Roses in Springtime", "Roses", "The Rose", "Venus’ Rose-Garden", and "The Nine Muses". Florus’ better-known poetry is also associated with his smaller poems that he would write to Hadrian out of admiration for the emperor.[6]
Epitome of Roman History
The two books of the Epitome of Roman History were written in admiration of the Roman people.
According to Edward Forster, Florus' history is largely politically unbiased, except when discussing the civil wars where he favours Caesar over Pompey.[8] The first book of the Epitome of Roman History is mainly about the establishment and growth of Rome.[7] The second is mainly about the decline of Rome and its changing morals.[7]
Florus has taken some criticism on his writing due to inaccuracies found chronologically and geographically in his stories,[4] but even so, the Epitome of Roman History was vastly popular during the late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, as well as being used as a school book until the 19th century.[9] In the manuscripts, the writer is variously named as Julius Florus, Lucius Anneus Florus, or simply Annaeus Florus. From certain similarities of style, he has been identified as Publius Annius Florus, poet, rhetorician and friend of Hadrian, author of a dialogue on the question of whether Virgil was an orator or poet, of which the introduction has been preserved.
The most accessible modern text and translation are in the
Attribution of the works
Tentative attribution Description Works Dates Other bio Identified with Florus "a Roman historian" Epitome of Roman History circa 74-130 born in Africa; lived in the time of Trajan and Hadrian "In the manuscripts, the writer is variously named as Julius Florus, Lucius Anneus Florus, or simply Annaeus Florus"; "he has been identified as Publius Annius Florus" Julius Florus "an ancient Roman poet, orator, and author" Epitome of Roman History ; poems including "Quality of Life", "Roses in Springtime", "Roses", "The Rose", "Venus’ Rose-Garden", and "The Nine Muses" circa 74-130 born in Africa; accompanied Tiberius to Armenia; lost Domitian's Capital Competition due to prejudice; travelled in the Greek Empire; founded a school in Tarraco, Spain; returned to Rome; a friend of Hadrian "variously identified with Julius Florus, a distinguished orator and uncle of Publius Annius Florus "Roman poet and rhetorician" Virgilius orator an poeta; 26 trochaic tetrameters, De qualitate vitae, and five graceful hexameters, De rosis born in Africa; accompanied Tiberius to Armenia; lost Domitian's Capital Competition due to prejudice; travelled; founded a school in Tarraco; returned to Rome; knew Hadrian "identified by some authorities with the historian Florus." "generally agreed that he is the Florus who wrote the well-known lines quoted together with Hadrian's answer by Aelius Spartianus" "for an unlikely identification of Florus with the author of the Pervigilium Veneris see E. H. O. Müller"[3]
Tentative biography
The Florus identified as Julius Florus was one of the young men who accompanied
Under Domitian's rule, he competed in the Capital Competition,[4] which was an event in which poets received rewards and recognition from the emperor himself.[4] Although he acquired great applause from the crowds, he was not victorious in the event. Florus himself blamed his loss on favoritism on behalf of the emperor.[9]
Shortly after his defeat, Florus departed from Rome to travel abroad.[9] His travels are said to have taken him through the Greek-speaking sections of the Roman Empire, taking in Sicily, Crete, the Cyclades, Rhodes, and Egypt.[9]
At the conclusion of his travels, he resided in Tarraco, Spain.[4] In Tarraco, Florus founded a school and taught literature.[9] During this time, he also began to write the Epitome of Roman History.[4]
After many years in Spain, he eventually migrated back to Rome during the rule of Hadrian (117-138 AD).[4] Hadrian and Florus became very close friends, and Florus was rumored to be involved in government affairs during the second half of Hadrian's rule.[4]
See also
References
- ^ a b c "Epitome of Roman History".
- ^ Saecula Latina (1962), p. 215
- ^ a b c d Chisholm 1911a.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "LacusCurtius • Florus — Epitome".
- ^ "Cameron, A. "Poetae Novelli" in Harvard Studies in Classical Philology 84 (1980), pp. 127-175.
- ^ "Florus: Introduction". Lacus Curtius. 2014. Retrieved 2015-12-09.
- ^ a b c Lucius Annaeus, Florus (1929). Epitome of Roman History. London: Heinemann.
- ^ Edward S. Forster. "Introduction to Florus' Epitome". LacusCurtius. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "P. Annius Florus".
- ^ a b Chisholm 1911b.
- public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911a). "Florus, Publius Annius". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 10 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 547. This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
- public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911b). "Florus, Julius". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 10 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 547. This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
Bibliography
- Jona Lendering. "Publius Annius Florus". Livius.org.
- José Miguel Alonso-Nuñez (2006). "Floro y los historiadores contemporáneos". Acta Classica Universitatis Scientiarum Debreceniensis. 42: 117–126.
- W. den Boer (1972). Some Minor Roman Historians. Leiden: Brill.
- Florus (2005) [c. 120]. Römische Geschichte : lateinisch und deutsch. Eingel., übers. und kommentiert von Günter Laser. Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft.
External links
- Latin and English texts of Florus, Epitome of Roman History, the 1929 Loeb Classical Library translation by E.S. Forster, Bill Thayer's edition. Lacus Curtius website
- Latin and English texts of Florus's poems. Lacus Curtius website.