Titus Livy (Titus Livius)

(59 BC. - 17 AD)
Born in northern Italy in the city Patavy (sovr. Padua), at the time of greatest prosperity of the city - both economic and cultural. Libya's childhood and adolescence coincided with the time of rapid advancement of Julius Caesar to power and was marked by his Gallic campaigns and the subsequent civil wars that ended the establishment of the empire under the rule of August. Livy stood aloof from the turbulent events of the era, preferring secluded life scientist man. In a fairly early period of his life Livy moved to Rome, because there were sources, without which it was impossible to study the history. The private life of Libya, we know very little. It is known that he led occupations of the future Emperor Claudius. Of great importance in the life of Libya is his friendship with Augustus, who liked to Libya as a man and admired his book, despite its republican spirit.
In his youth, Livy, wrote philosophical dialogues, which have not survived, but ok. 26 BC. took up the chief work of his life, History of Rome. Livy worked on it until the end of life and managed to bring the presentation to the death of Drusus (9 BC). This huge task consisted of 142 books by modern standards - 15-20 volumes of medium. Survived for about a quarter, . namely: Book IX, . covering the period from the legendary arrival of Aeneas in Italy before 293 BC; books XXI-XXX, . describing the war between Rome and Hannibal, and books XXXI-XLV, . The continuing story of the conquest of Rome until 167 BC,
. Contents of other books we know from their brief retelling compiled later.

In the frame of mind Livy was inclined to romanticism, and therefore in the preface to the story, he said that the aim of the historian is to promote morality. When Livy wrote his book, Roman society in many ways experienced a decline, and historian with admiration and looked longingly at a time when life was simpler, and virtue above. The value of any historical study is, in Libya, in its application to life. Read the story of a great nation, calls it, and you will find in it, and examples, and caveats. The greatness of Rome rested on strict adherence to duty both in the private and public sectors, and all the trouble began with the loss of fidelity to the rules. The conquest of foreign lands brought wealth, with increased wealth and luxury was lost respect for the moral precepts.

By the old folk legends of Rome, 'belonging - as rightly pointed out by Livy himself - rather to the realm of poetry than history', he regarded with skepticism love. He recounts these stories, often very sturdy, and invites the reader to decide whether to believe them. With regard to the facts of the case, rely on it can not always. Livy does not take into account some important sources, it is very weak understanding of the functioning of state machinery, the military affairs.

Language Libya is rich, elegant, highly colorful, Livy - the artist to the bone. He perfectly portrays his characters, so that his book - a gallery of bright, memorable portraits. Livy wonderful storyteller, in the pages of his book the reader will find many familiar childhood stories. Here and retold by T. Macaulay in his poems about the legend, . as Horace Coquelin alone kept the bridge in the attack of the Etruscan king Porsenny, . and the story of the capture of Rome by the Gauls led by the frail, . and the tragedy of Tarquinius and Lucretia, . which served as a plot for one of the early poems of William Shakespeare, . and the story of Brutus, the liberator and the fact, . as the army crossed the Alps Hannibal,
. His stories Livy describes tersely, seeking powerful dramatic sound. Libya characterized latitude, he even pays tribute to the enemies of Rome. Like other Roman writers, he ignores a long period of Etruscan domination, but it recognizes the greatness of Hannibal, the most dangerous of the enemies of Rome. That admiration, which we still feel to this great military leader, we owe almost exclusively to Libya.