Pliny the Younger: biography and heritage

Ancient Roman writer and political figure Pliny the Younger is known for his letters and his oratorical art left behind. His creative flowering occurred during the reign of Emperor Trajan and the "Golden Age" of the ancient state.

A family

The future writer Pliny the Younger was born in 61 in the north of Italy, in the city of Como. He belonged to an aristocratic family. His father was an important official who worked in the local municipality. On the maternal line of Uncle Pliny the Younger was Pliny the Elder (22-79). He was also a writer. His "Natural History" was a popular encyclopedia that was dedicated to natural phenomena and subjects. Pliny the Younger lost his father early, after which he was adopted by his uncle, who gave his nephew the best education at that time.

Uncle's death

The uncle and nephew witnessed the terrible eruption of Vesuvius in Pompeii in the year 79. Pliny the Elder at that time was the commander of the local fleet. For some strange reason, he was approaching the volcano by a dangerous distance on the ship, due to which he was poisoned by the fumes of sulfur. Pliny the Younger was then only an eighteen-year-old boy. Later, in one of his letters to the historian Tacitus, he will describe the circumstances of the tragedy. Modern historiographers would never have known some details about the eruption of Vesuvius, were it not for Pliny the Younger. Pompeii became his main and most terrible impression for a lifetime.

Career

Pliny studied at his uncle's house. But in addition, his education was engaged in military Virginia Rufus, who at one time could even become an emperor, but refused such a burden. When Pliny grew up, he chose the career of a civil servant. For this he moved to Rome, where he studied at the school of rhetoric. Already at the end of the second decade, a capable young man began to learn the basics of advocacy.

Under Emperor Domitian, the official made an impressive career. By the year 94 he became the prefect of the military treasury. This was an extremely delicate post, to which numerous ill-wishers of Pliny claimed. Only the premature death of the emperor prevented the aristocrat from perishing because of a false denunciation.

Approximated Trajan

In 98, Emperor Trajan came to power . He had a close and trusting relationship with Pliny. Therefore, the new ruler appointed the writer to important government posts. In 100, Pliny became consul, and three years later he was in the college of the priests of the augurs. These people performed important state ceremonies, adopted in the ancient pagan society. The augurs divined and represented the divinity of the power of the emperor.

However, despite the public service, Pliny never abandoned his law practice. He was one of the most respected metropolitan law specialists. Over the years of active activity, this man has grown rich and has acquired his own villas. But he did not forget about philanthropic activity. For example, the hometown of Como for a long time had an influential patron. They were Pliny the Younger Guy. A brief biography of this man is an example of the life of an exemplary aristocrat of the Roman Empire during his heyday.

In the year 110, Pliny received his last public position. Trajan appointed him legate in the far province of Bithynia, where corruption reigned. The Emperor hoped that a venerable official and lawyer could eradicate this evil. Pliny lived in Asia Minor for three years and died in 113.

Literary heritage

From the literary heritage of the author, Pliny the Younger's letters to Emperor Trajan are most known. They were written in the last years of the official's life, when he lived in Bithynia and kept contact with the ruler only through correspondence. These creations were published after his death and represent a brilliant example of the epistolary genre.

According to Pliny's correspondence, many generations of historians explored the life and customs of the Roman Empire at the turn of the first and second centuries. The author was perfectly fluent in Latin, which made his letters a handy app for learning this language. In his messages to Trajan Pliny not only described the eastern life, but also talked a lot about politics. In addition, he mentioned several times the first communities of Christians, who at that time lived in the empire as outcasts.

Since Pliny was augur for a while, he was well versed in religious matters. In the Roman Empire, the cult of the emperor was widespread. Christians denied it, for which they were persecuted by the authorities. Pliny in his letters described the rites of these people who lived in semi-closed communities.

During his lifetime, the writer published nine volumes of his letters sent to very different people. In some of them Pliny heatedly argued with his addressees, demonstrating his honed rhetorical art. In his presentation of thoughts, he often imitated Cicero. Pliny's letters are a classic of ancient Roman literature. They are translated into Russian and included in university textbooks on history and various monographs.