Tacitus

views updated

Tacitus. Roman historian born c. ad 55. He is the principal surviving historian of Roman Britain, dealing with the first forty years of the province. Unfortunately the portion of the Annals dealing with the Claudian invasion has not survived. Other passages of the Annals tell us of the governorships of Ostorius Scapula and Didius Gallus, and there are further snippets in the Annals and the Histories. In 77 he married the daughter of Agricola, soon to be governor of Britain, and his biography of his father-in-law survives. After a geographical introduction, he builds up to Agricola by belittling previous governors. The exceptionally long governorship of Agricola is structured by his seven seasons of campaigns, ending with the victory at Mons Graupius. In civil affairs Agricola does what a virtuous governor should. Though a very useful source, the Agricola should not be taken at face value.

Alan Simon Esmonde Cleary

More From encyclopedia.com