62 pages • 2 hours read
TacitusThe Histories
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 110A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Summary
Background
Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Key Figures
Themes
Index of Terms
Important Quotes
Essay Topics
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BetaEssay Topics
Compare and contrast Tacitus’s portrayals of Otho and Vitellius. How does he use their characters to express the wider themes of the work?
Evaluate the role of the Roman military in The Histories. How does Tacitus depict their influence, and what might he believe their influence should be?
Compare the depictions of the Batavians and the Jewish people in The Histories.
Why might Tacitus be worried about the role of freedmen and enslaved individuals in Roman politics?
Pick three consequences of Roman infighting in 69 CE and argue why these three were the most important of those identified by Tacitus.
What criticisms does Tacitus level against the Senate, and what might he think their appropriate political role is?
To what extent do Tacitus’s personal biases color his account of historical events? Provide examples to support your analysis.
How does Tacitus argue that power corrupts individuals? What insights into Roman thought does this provide?
Compare Tacitus’s writing with the works of two other major Roman historians. How does his approach differ or align with theirs?
Why has Tacitus’s work continued to be influential in contemporary society?
