Claudius Claudian

Pete Christiansen (Texas Tech University)

Ed. by William John Dominik, University of Otago
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.1.2: Ancient Roman Writing and Culture (Republic and Empire), -750-476.
Vol. editors: Anca Dan (École Practique de Hautes Études PSL), Martine Diepenbroek (University of Johannesburg), William John Dominik (University of Otago), Giacomo Fedeli (University of Exeter), Victoria Fendel (University of Oxford), Thomas Habinek (University of Southern California), Emily Kneebone (University of Nottingham), Elodie Paillard (University of Sydney), Sophia Papaioannou (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens), Guendalina Daniela Maria Taietti (University of Liverpool), Jula Wildberger (American University of Paris)

Dates

Born c. 380
Died c. 450
Activity 395-404

Places

Born in Ancient Rome (Republic & Empire)
Active in Ancient Rome (Republic & Empire)

Activities

Primary

Poet

Resources

Claudian's Works

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Claudian is known as a poet of Late Antiquity who wrote his works primarily between 395 and 404 as the Western Roman Empire was experiencing great stress. Although he wrote many private poems, today he is best known for his panegyrics and invectives. He delivered public poems in Rome to a senate which included many adherents of a traditional paganism. His public poems before the court of Honorius, who became Emperor after the death of Theodosius in 395, were mostly delivered in the Christian Capital of Milan. All these public poems were command performances, beginning in January 395, after Theodosius had defeated the forces of the Western Emperor Eugenius, at the Frigidus. From 396 through 404 Claudian was supporting Honorius while giving special praise to Stilicho, a military leader…

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2874 words

Citation: Christiansen, Pete. "Claudius Claudian". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 10 November 2009 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=911, accessed 22 November 2024.]