Tacitus' Use of Columella's 'De re rustica'

Authors

  • Bram ten Berge Hope College

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29173/histos672

Keywords:

Tacitus, Columella, historiography, intertextuality, agriculture, nature, metaphor

Abstract

This article argues that Tacitus used Columella’s De re rustica as a source text across

his oeuvre. Probable allusions to De re rustica appear in each of Tacitus’ five texts, including

in important digressions and methodological chapters in Annals. Setting out these allusions

and drawing out their narrative significance, the article draws attention to a hitherto

unrecognised source of influence on the Roman historian. It further proposes directions for

future scholarly analysis of Tacitus’ engagement with technical texts and of how such texts

participate in wider conversations about politics, power, and nature.

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Published

2024-08-15

How to Cite

ten Berge, Bram. 2024. “Tacitus’ Use of Columella’s ’De Re rustica’”. Histos 18 (August):90-125. https://doi.org/10.29173/histos672.

Issue

Vol. 18 (2024)

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2024 Bram ten Berge

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