The Life and Death of Julius Agricola

This work by the Roman writer, Tacitus, written c. AD 98, recounts the life of his father-in-law Gnaeus Julius Agricola, an eminent Roman general and Governor of Britain from AD 77/78 – 83/84. It also covers the geography and ethnography of ancient Britain. In the first three sections of the Agricola, Tacitus discusses the nature of biographies and includes anecdotes on how previous examples have been treated. Tacitus also comments on the state of the Roman Empire at the time of his writing of the Agricola, stating that circumstances are not conducive to living a moral life. The fourth section is a summary of Agricola's heritage, which was strong according to Tacitus, his personality, and education, which Tacitus says was well rounded and extensive. Tacitus then describes Agricola's military apprenticeship in Britannia, describing how Agricola was helping to deal with tumultuous times in that province, with an uprising having taken place there. The subsequent sections discuss Agricola's personal life and professional career prior to his governorship in Britannia.