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843+ Works 10,264 Members 107 Reviews 17 Favorited

About the Author

Very little is known about the life of Livy (Titus Livius) other than that he was born in Patavium (modern-day Padua) and lived most of his life in Rome. It is clear from his writings that he was familiar with ancient Greek and Latin literature and was, in fact, influenced by Cicero. Although Livy show more produced several works on philosophy and literary criticism, his masterpiece and life work of 40 years was his "History of Rome", which covers a vast sweep of Rome's history from its origins to Livy's own time. Of the original 142 books that made up the work, only 35 are extant---Books 1--10 and 20--45---which treat the years 753--293 b.c. and 218--167 b.c. Fragments of others, however, do remain, and summaries exist of all but one. When he wrote the history, Livy, who extolled the virtues of discipline, piety, and patriotism, believed that Rome was in a state of decline and moral decay. Wealth and luxury, he wrote, had led to "the dark dawning of our modern day, when we can neither endure our vices nor face the remedies needed to cure them." According to modern standards, Livy was neither an impressive nor critical historian. He perpetuated many inaccuracies. This, however, does not greatly minimize the value of his writing. His acumen lay in his vibrant style, his keen eye for character, and his gift for dramatic composition. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Series

Works by Titus Livius

History of Rome, books 21-30 (0001) — Author — 1,303 copies
History of Rome, books 6-10 (0001) 552 copies
History of Rome, books 31-45 (0001) 498 copies
History of Rome : Books 21-22 [in translation] (1881) — Author — 139 copies
History of Rome, books 3-4 (1922) 112 copies
History of Rome, books 8-10 (1926) 109 copies
History of Rome, books 5-7 (1924) 105 copies
Ab urbe condita : libri 1-5 [in Latin] (1914) — Author — 97 copies
History of Rome, books 23-25 (1940) — Author — 75 copies
History of Rome : Book 1 [in Latin] (0025) — Author — 72 copies
Ab urbe condita, libri XXI-XXV (1946) — Author — 50 copies
History of Rome, books 26-30 [in translation] (1985) — Author — 33 copies
History of Rome (1978) 27 copies
Ab urbe condita : libri 31-35 [in Latin] (1965) — Author — 27 copies
Livy Book 1: Commentary (2000) 27 copies
Modern School Classics : Livy : Book 1 (1964) — Writer — 19 copies
Livy (1833) 18 copies
The History of Rome (1823) 17 copies
History of Rome : Book 2 [in Latin] (0025) — Author — 15 copies
History of Rome : Book 5 [in Latin] (1905) — Author — 13 copies
Ab urbe condita, libri XXI-XXIII (2000) — Author — 13 copies
Storia di Roma (1999) 12 copies
Livy: Books I, XXI and XXII (1891) 11 copies
Ab urbe condita, liber III (0025) — Author — 10 copies
Selections from Livy (2012) 9 copies
Livy : Book XXX (2004) — Writer — 9 copies
Livy, book XXI (1973) — Writer — 9 copies
Ab urbe condita. Liber I (1974) 7 copies
Ab urbe condita, libri IV-VI (0025) — Author — 6 copies
HISTORIA DE ROMA VII, (2008) 5 copies
Het ontstaan van Rome (1973) 5 copies
Livy Book IX (1918) 5 copies
ˆLa ‰saga di Annibale (1982) 5 copies
Ab urbe condita. Libro V (1988) 4 copies
Livius - Het begin van de res publica (1975) — Author — 4 copies
Historiens romains (1968) 3 copies
5 (2007) 3 copies
11: Libri 39.-40. (2000) 3 copies
Modern School Classics : Livy : Book 2 (1963) — Writer — 3 copies
Modern School Classics : Livy : Book 30 (1957) — Writer — 3 copies
Romas eldste historie (2012) 3 copies
Historia de Roma: livro I (1999) 3 copies
3 (2007) 3 copies
Livy: Book XXII 2 copies
Stories of Rome 2 copies
Ab urbe condita 2 copies
Ab urbe condita, libri I-III (0025) — Author — 2 copies
Hannibal the scourge of Rome (1976) — Writer — 2 copies
The Seven Kings of Rome (1926) 2 copies
Livy Book XXII 2 copies
Storie: libri XXXVI-XL (1980) 2 copies
Histoire romaine (2003) 2 copies
Ab Urbe Condita, deel 2 — Author — 1 copy
Ab Urbe Condita, deel 1 — Author — 1 copy
Libri 7.-8. 1 copy
Passi scelti 1 copy
Fondation de rome (La) (1999) 1 copy
Libri 21.-22. (1998) 1 copy
A Escrita e o Sono (1996) 1 copy
Römische Geschichte. Buch XXI-XXIII (2014) — Author — 1 copy
Libertas 1 copy
Storie 1 copy
Book XXII (1982) 1 copy
Hay's Livy 1 copy
[Livy] 1 copy
Leabhar XXVI (1975) 1 copy
Book I 1 copy
Roman history (2009) 1 copy
Loeb volumes 1 copy
Livy XXIV 1 copy
Book One 1 copy
Titus Livius 1 copy
Livy: Book V 1 copy
Roma Tarihi I. Kitap (1992) 1 copy
Livy Book 1 1 copy
XXX-XXXIII 1 copy
Las décadas 1 copy
Libri al rogo (2008) 1 copy
Storia romana vol. III (1935) 1 copy
Ab Urbe Condita (1979) 1 copy

Associated Works

Tagged

Common Knowledge

Legal name
Titus Livius
Birthdate
59 BCE
Date of death
17 AD
Gender
male
Nationality
Roman Republic
Roman Empire
Country (for map)
Italy
Birthplace
Padua, Italy
Place of death
Padua, Italy

Members

Discussions

Cicero and Livy in Ancient History (September 2007)

Reviews

Surely more myth than history, but nonetheless it is very enjoyable and filled with parables. My favorites are the stories of the first seven kings of Rome, Coriolanus, and the Capitoline geese. It is required reading for anyone attempting to understand the Romans and how they understood their past.
 
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Russell098 | 16 other reviews | Mar 28, 2023 |
Livy begins his history of the Roman War with Carthage with the following passage: "I am now about to tell the story of the most memorable war in history: that, namely, which was fought by Carthage under the leadership of Hannibal against Rome." Thus asserts Livy at the start of the decade beginning in 222bc, books 21–30. He was certainly correct regarding ancient history. The Indo-Germanic and Semitic races were at war with one another over world dominance. The historian notes that the two had a hatred for one another that was as great as their armies, and that they were not only evenly matched but also knowledgeable of the enemy's battle strategies and potential might.

Livy never downplays the exploits of Hannibal, a 26-year-old who emerged as the protagonist of his tale. Ninety thousand soldiers, twelve thousand cavalry, and thirty-seven elephants crossed the Alps, and he made up any facts he could not find in existing records. After failing to stop the Carthaginians in Gaul, Scipio the father attempted again in the Italian plains, but each setback terrorized the imperial city. After Trebia and Lake Trasimene, Fabius Maximus's delay strategies were successful in keeping the invaders at bay for a while, but another consul, Varro, was impatient, which led to the ultimate Roman loss at Cannae (216 b.c.e.). Hannibal could have easily reached Rome if he had capitalized on his victory.

Book 25 covers a different stage of the conflict. A seventy-four-year-old mathematician named Archimedes' inventions of the catapult and grappling hooks, which lifted the prows of Roman ships attempting to attack the breakwater and sank them, kept Marcellus, who was besieging Syracuse, at bay for three years. Ultimately, though, the Romans discovered the gap in the defenses and took control of the island. This war is not over, but will continue until Scipio pursues Hannibal all the way to Zamma outside of Carthage where he will lead Rome to their ultimate victory.

I was impressed that Livy opened his narrative mentioning Hannibal by name. That is undoubtedly because he is the most engaging character in the story and likely the best General in spite of ultimately being defeated by Scipio Africanus. It is a narrative is full of great commanders, brutal and bloody warfare, shifting loyalties, superstitions and omens, and enough thrills to keep the reader both informed and entertained.
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jwhenderson | 6 other reviews | Jun 27, 2022 |
From the founding myth of Rome, narrated so eloquently by Virgil in The Aeneid, augmented with the tale of Romulus and Remus, Livy tells of the history of the republic to the beginning of the fourth century BC. This is an account that presents prosaic events enlivened with exciting moments of wars, political changes, the evolution from a monarchy to a republic, and great speeches by characters both unfamiliar and, sometimes, larger-than-life. Livy himself was born in Padua in 59 BC and died in 17 AD (about 40 years after the death of Virgil).

The early years of Roman history include the myth of Aeneas and the historic rule by Numa Pompilius whose life was also chronicled by Plutarch. There are battles like that of Lake Regillus and rulers both good and bad, the latter best represented by Canuleius the demagogue. My favorite was Cincinnatus who was the epitome of the farmer-soldier- ruler and who assumed the consulship only to return to the farm when his moment in the limelight had ended.

The many battles and usual successes highlight a barbarity that provides a foundation for that which is evident in the later empire (see Tacitus for that history). There are also the political battles between the Patricians and Plebes for control of the republic. In some ways they reminded me of more recent political contretemps in our own republic. It may come as a surprise that after many difficulties and resultant growth in the power of Rome, near the end of this part of Roman history the city itself is sacked by the Gauls. It must be the memory of that which explains some of the ruthlessness of the Romans under Caesar in the last days of the Republic (see Caesar's Gallic Wars for that story).

Ultimately Livy's history is readable both because of his engaging prose style and his ability to enliven most of the more critical events of early Roman history. With interpolated speeches from primary leaders the book reminded me of Thucydides masterpiece on the Peloponnesian Wars.
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1 vote
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jwhenderson | 16 other reviews | Apr 30, 2022 |
Read for university this year. This was an intersection read and helpful if wanting to learn more about Ancient Rome.
 
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AndreaWay | 16 other reviews | Nov 15, 2020 |

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M. T Tatham Illustrator
Henry Bettenson Translator
A. H. McDonald Introduction
J. C. Yardley Translator
Dexter Hoyos Introduction
Jorma Kaimio Introduction
Moses Hadas Translator
Joe P. Poe Translator
R. M. Ogilvie Introduction
Robert Maxwell Ogilvie Translator, Editor
Betty Radice Translator, Introduction
S. P. Oakley Preface
B. O. Foster Translator
Sture Linnér Translator
W. P. Theunissen Translator
Duffield Osborne Introduction
W. M. Roberts Translator
Walter Dennison Translator
Ludwig Fladerer Translator
Gurin Translator
D. Spillan Translator

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Works
843
Also by
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Members
10,264
Popularity
#2,313
Rating
3.9
Reviews
107
ISBNs
495
Languages
18
Favorited
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