Study Guide for Tacitus


General Themes to consider:

Why do you think some scholars might refer to this work as tragic history?


How does this work show the decline of freedom for the senatorial class?


What role does violence play in the Empire?



What are Tacitus' goals as a historian?


Does Tacitus feel the principate is necessary? Is he enthusiastic about it?


What role do women play in Tacitus' work?


How does Tacitus characterize the Germans?


How does Tacitus contrast Germanicus' achievements in war with Tiberius' policies of government in Rome?