Fabius Pictor

Its Biography

Member of the very famous Roman family of the Fabii . Its nickname Pictor is a family cognonem. It goes back to its grandfather C. Fabius elected Consul in 302 av J.C., and which made decorate painting the sanctuary of the Salus goddess to Rome. Grandson of the critic C. Fabius Pictor, he is also a relative of Fabius Maximus. Senator, it takes share with the Second Punic War and fights with Trasimène. After the demolished of Cannes, it is sent, whereas it with the load of Praetor near the oracle of Delphes to ask the god to alleviate his anger. Plutarque tells that one discovers the fault of two then Vestale S being let allure: one commits suicide, while the other is buried alive ( Vie of Fabius Maximus , XVIII, 3).

Its Work

It composes in Greek a Histoire of Rome since the origins until its time (the battle of Trasimène), with an aim of defending the Roman policy. It started its drafting of it undoubtedly towards -216/- 201 av J.C., at one time or Rome required a patriotic start to fight against Hannibal, which threatened Italy itself.

It was one of the first Roman historians, and Tite-Live greets it, so name of “ scriptorum antiquissimus ” (“oldest of the authors”). Plutarque notices that it rests much on Dioclès de Péparéthos - obscure Greek author, of which we know only that it was the first to report the legend of Rhéa Silvia and of the twins Romulus and Rémus ( Vie of Romulus , III and VIII, 9). From its family, very influential has Rome, it has capacity to consult the family archives of the Roman Senators. But the oral traditions, as well as the Yearly maximi (or known as annals of the large pontiffs), were as many sources of choice for Fabius Pictor.

Polybe shows it to be partial towards Rome, and places it out of mirror of Philinos d' Agrigente, which he judges as for him a little too pro-Carthaginian (I, 1,14.1). Diodore of Sicily the not very reliable judge.

But that did not prevent many ancient writers from drawing from his work, such Denys d' Halicarnasse, Plutarque, Tite Live, or Pline Old the…

We preserved only fragments of its work. The list of seven kings whom it established for the Roman Monarchie is the only known list, and made authority.

Random links: