Sallust

Gaius Sallustius Crispus, usually known as Sallust, was a historian and politician from the Roman Republic. He was born in Amiternum, a town in the land of the Sabines. Sallust supported Julius Caesar around the 50s BC.

Sallust is famous because he was the earliest Roman writer in Latin whose books still exist today. His best-known books are the Conspiracy of Catiline, which tells about a secret plan, and The Jugurthine War, which describes a war. He also wrote The Histories, but only parts of that book remain.

Sallust gathered wealth during his time in Africa. His writing was inspired by the Greek historian Thucydides.

Life and career

Sallust was likely born in Amiternum in Central Italy. He came from a noble family of Sabine origin, though not part of Rome's ruling class. He received a good education and later entered public life.

Sallust became involved in politics and served in various roles. During the civil war between Julius Caesar and Pompey, he supported Caesar. After the war, he was given the job of governing a new area. He later stopped his political career and focused on writing history, creating important works for future generations. He also became well known for his beautiful gardens in Rome.

Works

Sallust wrote two famous books that we still have today. The first is called Catiline's War, which tells the story of a man named Lucius Sergius Catilina who tried to take over Rome in 63 BC.

The second book is The Jugurthine War, which is about a war Rome fought in a place called Numidia from 112 to 106 BC. It talks about two important Roman leaders, Marius and Sulla.

Sallust also started a bigger history book called Historiae, covering events from 78 BC, but most of it is lost. Only a small piece from the year 67 BC still exists.

Main article: Bellum Catilinae

Main article: Bellum Jugurthinum

See also: Epistula Mithridatis

Style and themes

Sallust wrote about how Rome was going downhill. He thought this happened because of problems with politics and morals, which grew because Rome became so powerful and rich. He believed the civil wars happened because of these problems, especially after Rome beat Carthage in 146 BC and got lots of wealth from places far away.

Sallust's writing style was very different from other Roman writers like Caesar and Cicero. His writing was short and used unusual words and phrases, which made it sound formal and not like normal talk. He did not use everyday political words and instead used rare forms of famous words. He wanted his writing to remind people of the simple, strict lives of ancient Romans, which was different from the fancier style of his time. His writing had an effect on later Roman and Renaissance thinkers.

Reception

As a historian

People in ancient times liked Sallust as a historian. Famous writers like Tacitus and Quintilian spoke well of him. Others, such as Martial, Jerome, and Virgil, also praised his work. His books were studied in schools and influenced many thinkers over the years, including Thomas Aquinas, Niccolò Machiavelli, and Thomas More.

Later historians found faults in Sallust's writing. They said he was unfair in his views and made mistakes. Some felt his stories were too simple. Even so, his books shaped how we see Rome today. His tales give us important clues about life in ancient Rome.

Stylistically

Many writers borrowed from Sallust's work. Figures like Silius Italicus, Lucan, and Plutarch used his stories. Others appreciated his unique style. Over time, his books remained popular and were used in schools to teach Latin. Even famous people like Petrarch and Friedrich Nietzsche admired his way of writing.

Manuscripts

Many old copies of Sallust's writings have survived because people liked his work a lot. These copies are divided into two types: damaged ones and complete ones. Some copies have a small missing part in the middle of one of his books.

The oldest copies we still have today were made around the year 800 AD. These old copies only include two of Sallust's books. Later copies made around 1000 AD are more complete.

There is also one special copy that only includes speeches and letters from Sallust's books. Some pieces of paper from very old times also have small parts of Sallust's writing on them. Other writers from the past sometimes mentioned Sallust's work, and these mentions help us learn more about his writing.

Translations

Here are some translations of Sallust's work into modern English. These books help people today read what Sallust wrote long ago. Each book uses a different translator and was published in different years.