The ancient Roman writer and politician Pliny the Younger is known for his letters and oratory. Its creative heyday fell on the era of 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 side of uncle Pliny the Younger was Pliny the Elder (22–79). He was also a writer. His “Natural History” was a popular encyclopedia dedicated to natural phenomena and objects. 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
Uncle and nephew witnessed the terrible eruption of Vesuvius in Pompeii in 79. Pliny the Elder at that time was the commander of the local fleet. For some unknown reason, he approached the volcano at a too dangerous distance on the ship, because of which he was poisoned by sulfur fumes. Pliny the Younger was then only eighteen young men. Later, in one of his letters to the historian Tacitus, he describes the circumstances of the tragedy. Modern historians would never know some details about the eruption of Vesuvius, if not for Pliny the Younger. Pompeii became his main and most terrible impression of a lifetime.
Career
Pliny studied at home with his uncle. But in addition, the military Virgin Ruf, who at one time could even become emperor, was engaged in his education, but he abandoned such a burden. When Pliny grew up, he chose the career of a civil servant. To do this, he moved to Rome, where he studied at a rhetorical school. Already at the end of the second ten, a capable young man began to master the basics of advocacy.
Under the emperor Domitian, the official made an impressive career. By the year 94, he became the prefect of the military treasury. It was an extremely delicate position, claimed by numerous detractors of Pliny. Only the premature death of the emperor did not allow the aristocrat to die due to false denunciation.
Approximate 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 ended up in the college of augurs priests. These people performed important state rites adopted in ancient pagan society. The augurs divined and personified the divine power of the emperor.
However, despite the civil service, Pliny never left his law practice. He was one of the most respected metropolitan legal experts. Over the years of active work, this man became rich and acquired his own villas. But he did not forget about philanthropic activities. For example, Como's hometown has long had an influential patron. He was Pliny the Younger Guy. A brief biography of this man is an example of the life of the illustrious aristocrat of the Roman Empire during its heyday.
In 110, Pliny received his last public office. Trajan appointed him legate in the distant province of Bithynia, where corruption reigned. The emperor hoped that a venerable official and lawyer would be able to eradicate this evil. Pliny lived in Asia Minor for three years and died in 113.
Literary heritage
From the literary heritage of the author, the letters of Pliny the Younger to Emperor Trajan are best known. They were written in the last years of the official’s life, when he lived in Bithynia and maintained contact with the ruler only by 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 have studied the life and customs of the Roman Empire at the turn of the 1st and 2nd centuries. The author was fluent in Latin, which made his letters a convenient application for learning this language. In his letters to Trajan, Pliny not only described eastern life, but also talked a lot about politics. In addition, he several times mentioned the first communities of Christians, who at that time lived in the empire as outcasts.
Since Pliny was augur for some time, he was well versed in religious matters. The cult of the emperor was widespread in the Roman Empire. The 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 a variety of people. In some of them, Pliny argued fervently with his addressees, demonstrating his refined rhetorical art. In his exposition of thoughts, he often imitated Cicero. Pliny's letters are classics of ancient Roman literature. They are translated into Russian and are included in university history textbooks and various monographs.