Tacitus: The Histories, Volumes I and II
Tacitus: The Histories, Volumes I and II
Translated by W. Hamilton (William Hamilton) Fyfe
Four emperors in a single year. That's the staggering premise of Tacitus's masterwork, which chronicles the blood-soaked power vacuum that followed Nero's suicide in 68 AD. Within months, Galba, Otho, and Vitellius would each seize the throne, only to be overthrown by the next pretender, while Vespasian's legions looked on. But The Histories is far more than a chronicle of political violence. It is a forensic examination of power at its most naked: how emperors acquire legitimacy, how armies decide loyalties, and how citizens become collateral damage in the ruthless game of imperial succession. Tacitus writes with the compressed intensity of a man who lived through these events, offering unforgettable portraits of men who held absolute power and the systems that enabled their rise and fall. His moral vision is unsparing yet never simple. This is ancient history at its most urgent, a work that reads like thriller fiction while grappling with questions about political legitimacy and human nature that remain urgent today.
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“The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws.””
— Cornelius Tacitus
“Crime, once exposed, has no refuge but in audacity.””
— Cornelius Tacitus
“So obscure are the greatest events, as some take for granted any hearsay, whatever its source, others turn truth into falsehood, and both errors find encouragement with posterity.””
— Cornelius Tacitus
“But the more I reflect on events recent and past, the more I am struck by the element of the absurd in everything humans do.””
— Cornelius Tacitus
“The practices of the Jews are malevolent and despicable, and have entrenched themselves by their very degeneracy. Deviants of the most depraved kind who had no use for the religion of their predecessors, they took to collecting dues and contributions in order to swell the Jewish treasury; and other reasons for their increasing wealth may be found in their unrelenting loyalty and eager nepotism towards fellow Jews. But all the rest of the world they hold in contempt with the hatred reserved for enemies. They will not feed or intermarry with gentiles. Despite being overtly lustful as a race, the Jews shun carnal dealings with women foreign to their tribe. Among their own kind however, nothing is forbidden. They have adopted the practice of circumcision to show that they are different from others. Those seeking to convert to Judaism adopt the same practices, and the very first lesson they are taught is to despise the gods, shed all feelings of patriotism, and consider parents, children and brothers as readily expendable. However, the Jews make certain that their population increases.””
— Cornelius Tacitus
“in disturbed times uncivilized communities trust and prefer leaders who take risks.””
— Cornelius Tacitus
“Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judæa, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular””
— Cornelius Tacitus
“For he would twist a word or a look into a crime and treasure it up in his memory.””
— Cornelius Tacitus
“[Asiaticus responds] Ask your sons, Suillius. They will testify to my masculinity.””
— Cornelius Tacitus
About Tacitus: The Histories, Volumes I and II
Chapter Summaries
- 1
- Tacitus introduces his subject matter, explaining his commitment to impartial historical writing and outlining the scope of his work covering the reigns of Galba, Otho, Vitellius, and the rise of Vespasian. He describes the period as rich in disasters and civil strife.
- 2-3
- Analysis of the political situation following Nero's death, describing the reactions of different social classes and the military. Tacitus notes how Nero's death revealed that emperors could be made outside Rome, creating instability throughout the empire.
- 4-11
- Detailed examination of Galba's weaknesses as emperor, his corrupt advisors Vinius and Laco, and the state of the various provincial armies. Describes the growing discontent among the troops and the strategic situation across the empire.
Key Themes
- The Corruption of Power
- Tacitus demonstrates how imperial power corrupts both rulers and those around them. From Galba's ineffective advisors to Vitellius' gluttony and the soldiers' greed for donatives, power becomes a destructive force that undermines virtue and competence.
- The Decline of Roman Virtue
- The historian mourns the loss of traditional Roman values like discipline, honor, and service to the state. The civil wars reveal how far Rome has fallen from its republican ideals, with soldiers more loyal to money than duty.
- Fortune and Fate
- Throughout the narrative, Tacitus explores how fortune determines the rise and fall of emperors. The rapid succession of rulers demonstrates the capricious nature of fate and the instability of human ambition.
Characters
- Galba(protagonist)
- Elderly emperor who ruled for seven months after Nero's death. Known for his austerity and strict discipline, but ultimately unpopular due to his advisors' corruption and his own parsimony.
- Otho(protagonist)
- Former friend of Nero who murdered Galba to become emperor. Despite his dissolute past, he showed nobility in his final suicide to spare Rome further civil war.
- Vitellius(antagonist)
- Gluttonous and indolent emperor proclaimed by the German legions. Known for his excessive luxury and cruelty, ultimately defeated by Vespasian's forces.
- Vespasian(protagonist)
- Pragmatic general conducting the Jewish war who emerged as the ultimate victor. Represented stability and competent rule after the chaos of the Year of Four Emperors.
- Titus(major)
- Vespasian's capable son who commanded in Judaea and served as a key diplomatic figure. Combined military skill with political acumen.
- Piso Licinianus(major)
- Noble young man adopted by Galba as his heir. Showed dignity and courage but was murdered alongside Galba after only four days as Caesar.
