Agricola / Germania / Dialogue on Oratory

Cornelius Tacitus (ca. 56-ca. 120) became an orator, married in 77 Julius Agricola’s daughter before Agricola went to Britain, was quaestor in 81 or 82, a senator under the Flavians & a praetor in 88. After four years’ absence he experienced the terrors of Domitian’s last years & turned to historical writing. He was a consul in 97. Close friend of the younger Pliny, they successfully prosecuted Marius Priscus.
Works:
(i) Life & Character of Agricola, written 97/8, interesting because of Agricola’s career in Britain.
(ii) Germania (98/9), an important description of the geography, anthropology, products, institutions, social life of the German tribes as known to the Romans.
(iii) Dialogue on Oratory of unknown date; a lively conversation about the decline of oratory & education.
(iv) Histories (probably issued in parts from 105 onwards), a work originally consisting of at least 12 books covering the period 69-96, but only I-IV & part of V survive, dealing in detail with the dramatic years 69-70.
(v) Annals, originally covering the period 14-68 (Tiberius, Gaius, Claudius, Nero) & published between 115-ca. 120. Of at least 16 books, there survive I-IV (covering 14-28); a bit of V & all VI (31-37); part of XI (from 47); XII-XV & part of XVI (to 66).
Tacitus is renowned for his development of a pregnant concise style, character study & psychological analysis, & for the often terrible story which he brilliantly tells. As a historian of the early Roman empire he is paramount.
The Loeb Classical Library edition is in five volumes.