Lucius Lucceius
Encyclopedia
Lucius Lucceius, Roman
orator and historian, friend and correspondent of Cicero
. A man of considerable wealth and literary tastes, he may be compared with Atticus
. Disgusted at his failure to become consul in 60 BC
, he retired from public life, and devoted himself to writing a history of the Social and Civil Wars. This was nearly completed, when Cicero earnestly requested him to write a separate history of his (Cicero's) consulship. Cicero thought that a panegyric
by Lucceius, who had taken considerable interest in the affairs of that critical period, would have great weight in his campaign to rehabilitate himself after the exile stemming from his consulship. Cicero offered to supply the material, and hinted that Lucceius need not sacrifice laudation to accuracy. Lucceius almost promised, but did not perform. Subsequently, Cicero had to sing his own praises in both Greek
and Latin, but nothing remains of any such work or of his history. In the civil war he took the side of Pompey
; but, having been pardoned by Caesar
, returned to Rome, where he lived in retirement until his death.
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
orator and historian, friend and correspondent of Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
. A man of considerable wealth and literary tastes, he may be compared with Atticus
Atticus
Atticus, a Latin name meaning "Man of Attica", may refer to any of:People*Titus Pomponius Atticus , ancient Roman littérateur / philosopher*Atticus , a Platonist philosopher and author of lost Plato commentary...
. Disgusted at his failure to become consul in 60 BC
60 BC
Year 60 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Metellus and Afranius...
, he retired from public life, and devoted himself to writing a history of the Social and Civil Wars. This was nearly completed, when Cicero earnestly requested him to write a separate history of his (Cicero's) consulship. Cicero thought that a panegyric
Panegyric
A panegyric is a formal public speech, or written verse, delivered in high praise of a person or thing, a generally highly studied and discriminating eulogy, not expected to be critical. It is derived from the Greek πανηγυρικός meaning "a speech fit for a general assembly"...
by Lucceius, who had taken considerable interest in the affairs of that critical period, would have great weight in his campaign to rehabilitate himself after the exile stemming from his consulship. Cicero offered to supply the material, and hinted that Lucceius need not sacrifice laudation to accuracy. Lucceius almost promised, but did not perform. Subsequently, Cicero had to sing his own praises in both Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
and Latin, but nothing remains of any such work or of his history. In the civil war he took the side of Pompey
Pompey
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, also known as Pompey or Pompey the Great , was a military and political leader of the late Roman Republic...
; but, having been pardoned by Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
, returned to Rome, where he lived in retirement until his death.