Author Archive

Petronius

Petronius Arbiter, a Roman courtier under Nero, is best known as the author of the Satyricon , a satirical, fragmentary novel that blends prose and verse to parody epic conventions and expose the decadence of Neronian society. His intellectual contribution lies in pioneering a sophisticated, realistic style that dissected social mores through sharp humor and vivid depictions of freedmen and the nouveau riche. Often identified with the Tacitean figure executed in 66 CE, Petronius remains a crucial source for understanding first-century Roman life and the origins of the picaresque novel.

4 summaries in the archive

Classic Literature Satirae et Liber Priapeorum – Petronius Petronius

The book in question is a scholarly edition of the surviving remains of Petronius, issued under the title…

55 min read

Classical Literature Fragmentum Traguriense – Petronius Petronius

The Fragmentum Traguriense is a Latin edition of a newly "discovered" portion of Petronius's Satyricon, published at Nuremberg…

53 min read

Ancient History Cena Trimalchionis – Petronius Petronius

The Cena Trimalchionis, or "Dinner with Trimalchio," is a single surviving episode from a much larger Roman novel.

54 min read

Classic Literature Satyricon – Petronius Petronius

The Satyricon of Petronius Arbiter is a work of ancient Latin prose fiction that has come down to…

50 min read