History of Rome (Livy)

Penguin Classics 1976 edition of Livy's Ab Urbe condita, books XXXI-XLV

Ab urbe condita (literally, "from the city having been founded") is a monumental history of Rome, from its legendary founding (ab Urbe condita, dated to 753 BC by Varro and most modern scholars). The book was written by Titus Livius (around 59 BC–AD 17). It is often referred to as History of Rome. The first five books were published between 27 and 25 B.C.

Originally written in 142 books, only 35 have survived to the present day. The first book starts with Aeneas landing in Italy and the founding of Rome by Romulus and Remus and ends with Lucius Junius Brutus and Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus being elected as consuls in 509 BC. Books II-X deal with the history of the Roman Republic to the Samnite Wars, while books XXI-XLV tell of the Second Punic War and end with the war against Perseus of Macedon.

The remaining books are preserved by a 4th century summary entitled Periochae, except for book 136 and 137. However, these were not compiled from Livy's original text but from an abridged edition that is now lost. In the Egyptian town Oxyrhynchus, a similar summary of books 37-40 and 48-55 was found on a scroll of papyrus that is now in the British Museum. However the Oxyrhynchus Epitome is damaged and incomplete.

Books XLVI-LXX deal with the time up to with Social War in 91 BC, In book LXXXIX there is the dictatorship of Sulla in 81 BC and in book CIII is Gaius Julius Caesar's first consulship. Book 142 ends with the death of Nero Claudius Drusus in 9 BC. While the first ten books deal with over 500 years, once Livy started writing about the 1st century BC, he devotes almost a whole book to each year.

This book is vital to many descriptions, portrayals, histories and other projects referring to the history of the Kingdom and Republic. Although slightly biased, it contains many references to sources, and does present the general history of Rome in a good writing style, which is very easy to understand and read. The reliability has often been questioned, since Titus Livy was a Roman and his account of events seems to glorify the Romans. However, the books are invaluable in that they reflect ancient Rome's approach on the events and and points of interest, most notably the various traditions. Other sources, such as Suetonius's Lives of the Twelve Caesars tend to generally agree in their hintings of the periods covered by "History of Rome".

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