Gaius sallustius crispus biography for kids pictures

He is the earliest known Latin-language Roman historian with surviving works to his name, of which Conspiracy of Catiline on the eponymous conspiracy , The Jugurthine War on the eponymous war , and the Histories of which only fragments survive remain extant. As a writer, Sallust was primarily influenced by the works of the 5th-century BC Greek historian Thucydides.

During his political career he amassed great and ill-gotten wealth from his governorship of Africa. His birth date is calculated from the report of Jerome 's Chronicon.

Sallust historiae

But Ronald Syme suggests that Jerome's date has to be adjusted because of his carelessness, and suggests 87 BC as a more correct date. Michael Grant cautiously offers 80s BC. There is no information about Sallust's parents or family, except for Tacitus ' mention of his sister. The Sallustii were a provincial noble family of Sabine origin. They belonged to the equestrian order and had full Roman citizenship.

During the Social War Sallust's parents hid in Rome, because Amiternum was under threat of siege by rebelling Italic tribes. Because of this Sallust could have been raised in Rome.