Rome in Crisis ─ Nine Lives by Plutarch

Indispensible biographies of major figures in Roman history.

A mathematician and philosopher, Plutarch was also an acclaimed biographer and historian. Bringing together nine biographies from his Parallel Lives series, Rome in Crisis examines the lives of some of the most important people in the roman empire- Tiberius Gracchus, Gaius Gracchus, Sertorius, Lucullus, Younger Cato, Brutus, Antony, Galba, and Otho, a reckless young noble who consorted with the tyrannical, debauched emperor Nero before briefly becoming emperor himself. Each biography is preceded by an insightful introduction by the distinguished historian Christopher Pelling. Taken together, these portraits provide a wonderfully compelling picture of the ancient world.

Plutarch (c.50-c.120 AD) was a writer and thinker born into a wealthy, established family of Chaeronea in central Greece. He received the best possible education in rhetoric and philosophy, and traveled to Asia Minor and Egypt. Later, a series of visits to Rome and Italy contributed to his fame, which was given official recognition by the emperors Trajan and Hadrian. Plutarch rendered conscientious service to his province and city (where he continued to live), as well as holding a priesthood at nearby Delphi. His voluminous surviving writings are broadly divided into the ‘moral’ works and the Parallel Lives of outstanding Greek and Roman leaders. The former (Moralia) are a mixture of rhetorical and antiquarian pieces, together with technical and moral philosophy (sometimes in dialogue form). The Lives have been influential from the Renaissance onwards.

Christopher Pelling is professor of classics at Oxford University and a fellow of Christ Church.

Christopher Pelling is professor of classics at Oxford University and a fellow of Christ Church.

Christopher Pelling is professor of classics at Oxford University and a fellow of Christ Church.