Cornelius Tacitus, Dialogus de oratoribus [The Dialogue on Orators]

Steven Rutledge (The University of Maryland)

Ed. by William John Dominik, University of Otago
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.1.2: Ancient Roman Writing and Culture (Republic and Empire), -750-476.
Vol. editors: William John Dominik (University of Otago), Giacomo Fedeli (University of Exeter), Thomas Habinek (University of Southern California), Emily Kneebone (University of Nottingham), Elodie Paillard (University of Sydney), Sophia Papaioannou (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens), Jula Wildberger (The American University of Paris)

Dates

First circulation or publication 102

Places

Ancient Rome (Republic & Empire) (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Dialogue

Resources

Tacitus’ Dialogus de oratoribus [Dialogue on Orators] is one of three so-called minor works (along with the Agricola and Germania) undertaken prior to his better known historical narratives, the Historiae and the Annales. The dating of the work is problematic, but probably belongs to between 100 and 102 (scholars base the date, in part, on the addressee, Fabius Justus, who held the consulship in 102). It takes as its literary exempla not only Ciceronian dialogues, but also appears closely modeled on Plato’s Symposium; as Plato’s renowned …

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1679 words

Citation: Rutledge, Steven. "Dialogus de oratoribus". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 07 October 2006 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=19583, accessed 19 April 2024.]

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