Suetonius facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Suetonius
Illustration of Suetonius from the Nuremberg Chronicle
Born	Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus c. AD 69
Died	After c. AD 122 (aged 53–54)
Occupation	Secretary, historian
Genre	Biography
Subject	History, biography, oratory
Literary movement	Silver Age of Latin
Notable works	The Twelve Caesars

Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus, often called Suetonius, was a Roman historian. He lived during the early days of the Roman Empire. He is most famous for writing about the lives of 12 important Roman rulers. These rulers included Julius Caesar and Domitian. His most important book is called De vita Caesarum.

Suetonius also wrote about daily life in Rome. He wrote about politics, public speaking, and famous writers. Some of his other books have survived in parts. However, many of his writings have been lost over time.

The Life of Suetonius

Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus was likely born around AD 69. We know this because he once said he was "young" 20 years after Nero died. It is not certain where he was born. Many experts think he was born in Hippo Regius. This was a small town in North Africa, in what is now Algeria.

Suetonius came from a family that was not super rich but was well-respected. His father, Suetonius Laetus, was a military officer. He was part of a Roman army group called Legio XIII Gemina. Suetonius himself received a good education in Rome.

Friends and Career

Suetonius was a close friend of Pliny the Younger. Pliny was a Roman senator and a famous letter writer. Pliny described Suetonius as "quiet and studious." He said Suetonius was a man who loved to write. Pliny helped Suetonius buy some land. He also asked Emperor Trajan to give Suetonius special rights. These rights were usually given to fathers of three children. Suetonius did not have children, but he still got these rights.

Because of Pliny, Suetonius became a favorite of Emperors Trajan and Hadrian. Suetonius might have worked for Pliny when Pliny was a governor. This was in a region called Bithynia and Pontus (modern-day Turkey). This happened between 110 and 112 AD.

Under Emperor Trajan, Suetonius worked as a secretary. He also managed the Imperial archives. Later, under Emperor Hadrian, he became the emperor's personal secretary. However, Hadrian later removed Suetonius from his job.

Suetonius's Writings

Suetonius is best known for his book De Vita Caesarum. This means The Life of the Caesars. It is also commonly known as The Twelve Caesars. This is his only complete book that we still have today. He probably wrote it during Hadrian's time.

The Twelve Caesars Book

The Twelve Caesars is a collection of biographies. It tells the stories of the first Roman leaders. These include Julius Caesar, Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Galba, Otho, Vitellius, Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian. The book was dedicated to his friend, Gaius Septicius Clarus. Clarus was a leader of the Praetorian Guard in 119 AD.

In this book, Suetonius describes each Caesar in a similar way. He talks about their looks, family history, and famous sayings. He also shares stories about their lives. For example, he wrote the earliest stories about Julius Caesar's epileptic seizures.

Other Surviving Works

Suetonius wrote other books that we only have parts of today.

• De Viris Illustribus ("On Famous Men"): This book was about important people in literature.
  • De Illustribus Grammaticis ("Lives of the Grammarians"): This part has 20 short biographies.
  • De Claris Rhetoribus ("Lives of the Rhetoricians"): Only 5 out of 16 original biographies remain.
  • De Poetis ("Lives of the Poets"): We have the life story of Virgil. There are also pieces about Terence, Horace, and Lucan.
  • De Historicis ("Lives of the historians"): A short life story of Pliny the Elder is thought to be from this work.
• Peri ton par' Hellesi paidion ("Greek Games"): This book was written in Greek.
• Peri blasphemion ("Greek Terms of Abuse"): This book was also written in Greek.

Parts of these last two books can be found in later Greek dictionaries.

Lost Works of Suetonius

Suetonius wrote many other books that are now lost. Here are some of their titles:

• Royal Biographies
• Roman Manners and Customs
• The Roman Year
• The Roman Festivals
• Roman Dress
• Offices of State
• On Cicero’s Republic
• Physical Defects of Mankind
• Methods of Reckoning Time
• An Essay on Nature
• Grammatical Problems

Some other titles mentioned in old texts include:

• On Roman spectacles and games
• On critical signs in books
• On names and types of clothes
• On insults
• On Rome and its customs and manners
• On kings
• On the institution of offices
• On weather signs
• On names of seas and rivers
• On names of winds