Aulus Persius Flaccus

Also known as: Persius / Persius Flaccus · Family: Roman · Role: poet · First appears: Persius

When Flaccus died while Aulus Persius Flaccus was barely six, he was left in the care of guardians; his mother, Fulvia Silenna, also died within a few years after marrying Fusius. At twelve, he continued his studies at Rome under Remmius Palaemon and Verginius Flaccus. “Arriving at the age of twenty-one,” he formed a lifelong friendship with Annaeus Cornutus, who taught him the rudiments of philosophy.

Through Annaeus Cornutus, Persius was introduced to Annaeus and Lucan, who was his own age and also Cornutus’s disciple. Lucan admired Persius’s writings and declared that they had “the true spirit of poetry.” Among his earliest friends were Caesius Bassus and Calpurnius Statura, while he revered Servilius Numanus as a father; he later entrusted his writings to Caesius Bassus for publication. He vied in study with Claudius Agaternus and Petronius Aristocrates, made Seneca’s acquaintance late, and during nearly the last ten years of his life was much beloved by Thraseas, whose company he sometimes shared while travelling. His cousin Arria was married to Thraseas, and in his poetry he did not spare contemporary poets and orators, even lashing Nero, the reigning prince.

Relationship record

Life events

• Flaccus died, leaving Aulus Persius Flaccus under guardians’ care.(Persius)
  • With: Flaccus
  • “His father, Flaccus, who died when he was barely six years old, left him under the care of guardians”
• Aulus Persius Flaccus continued his studies at Rome under Remmius Palaemon and Verginius Flaccus.(Persius · 📍 Rome)
  • With: Remmius Palaemon Verginius Flaccus
  • “and then continued them at Rome, under Remmius Palaemon, the grammarian, and Verginius Flaccus, the rhetorician.”
• Aulus Persius Flaccus formed a lifelong friendship with Annaeus Cornutus and learned philosophy from him.(Persius)
  • With: Annaeus Cornutus
  • “Arriving at the age of twenty-one, he formed a friendship with Annaeus Cornutus, which lasted through life; and from him he learned the rudiments of philosophy.”

Persius

• parent: Flaccus “His father, Flaccus, who died when he was barely six years old, left him under the care of guardians”
• parent: Fulvia Silenna “and his mother, Fulvia Silenna, who afterwards married Fusius, a Roman knight, buried him also in a very few years.”
• mentor: Remmius Palaemon “then continued them at Rome, under Remmius Palaemon, the grammarian, and Verginius Flaccus, the rhetorician.”
• mentor: Verginius Flaccus “then continued them at Rome, under Remmius Palaemon, the grammarian, and Verginius Flaccus, the rhetorician.”
• friends with Annaeus Cornutus “he formed a friendship with Annaeus Cornutus, which lasted through life”
• mentor: Annaeus Cornutus “and from him he learned the rudiments of philosophy.”
• with Annaeus (Persius was introduced to Annaeus.) “Through Cornutus he was introduced to Annaeus, as well as to Lucan, who was of his own age, and also a disciple of Cornutus.”
• with Lucan (Persius was introduced to Lucan.) “Through Cornutus he was introduced to Annaeus, as well as to Lucan, who was of his own age, and also a disciple of Cornutus.”
• admirer: Lucan “Lucan was so delighted with the writings of Persius Flaccus, that he could scarcely refrain from giving loud tokens of applause while the author was reciting them, and declared that they had the true spirit of poetry.”
• friends with Caesius Bassus “Among his earliest friends were Caesius Bassus, and Calpurnius Statura”
• friends with Calpurnius Statura “Among his earliest friends were Caesius Bassus, and Calpurnius Statura”
• with Servilius Numanus (Servilius Numanus was regarded as a father figure.) “Servilius Numanus, he reverenced as a father.”
• with Seneca (interaction) “It was late before Persius made the acquaintance of Seneca”
• rivals with Claudius Agaternus “with whom he vied in their studies, as they were of his own age, being younger than Cornutus.”
• rivals with Petronius Aristocrates “with whom he vied in their studies, as they were of his own age, being younger than Cornutus.”
• admirer: Thraseas “During nearly the last ten years of his life he was much beloved by Thraseas, so that he sometimes travelled abroad in his company”
• cousins with Arria “and his cousin Arria was married to him.”
• enemies with Nero “he did not spare cotemporary poets and orators, and even lashed Nero himself, who was then the reigning prince.”
• parent: Servilius Numanus (Father-like relationship expressed through reverence.) “Servilius Numanus, he reverenced as a father.”
• admired: Claudius Agaternus “men whom he held in the highest esteem”
• admired: Petronius Aristocrates “men whom he held in the highest esteem”
• with Caesius Bassus (interaction) “on Caesius Bassus requesting to be allowed to publish it, he delivered it to him for that purpose.”

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Extracted from the original text of The Lives of the Twelve Caesars. Made with Rho MD.