Tutorial 7

TUTORIAL 7: TACITUS AND THE PROBLEM OF IMPERIAL HISTORY The aim of this tutorial is to consider the practice of history writing in imperial Rome with particular focus on one of the most challenging historians: Tacitus, and his best known work, the Annals and consider the choices that are always inherent in writing history. Read the extracts and consider the following questions for discussion in the tutorial: 1) Beginnings ( Annals 1.1-3) • What do you make of the beginning of the Annals? What point is Tacitus trying to make? • How does he set his own history within the greater scheme of Roman history? • How does he describe his project? • Why do you think Tacitus chooses to begin his imperial history where he does? • Where would you begin and why? • How reasonable a summary does Tacitus give of the fall of the Republic and the rise of Augustus? How does it compare with other accounts you have looked at? 2) The impartial historian • What does Tacitus have to say about writing history under the Emperors? • What do you think of his claim to write ‘without anger and without partiality’ (sine ira et studio)? 3) Hearsay and drama (1.5-6) • How does Tacitus use hearsay and insinuation to tell his story here? • Is this impartial history? 4) The proper object of history (Annals 4.32-3) • What does Tacitus suggest ought to be the “proper”object of history? • How does he present the subject of his own work? • What utility does he say can ...