Aulus Cremutius Cordus
Who was Aulus Cremutius Cordus?
1st-century Roman writer
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Aulus Cremutius Cordus (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Aulus Cremutius Cordus was a Roman historian and senator who lived during the late Republic and early Imperial period, passing away in 25 AD. He is most recognized for his historical work, the Annales, which covered the civil wars that marked the end of the Republic and the reign of Augustus. Although only some fragments of his writing remain, ancient sources indicate the work was extensive and known for its honest and straightforward portrayal of historical figures, even those who had opposed Julius Caesar and later Augustus.
Before Fame
Not much is known about Cremutius Cordus's early life. He was born around 50 BC, during a turbulent political time in Rome when the Republic was struggling under the pressure from leaders like Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus. Experiencing the civil wars and seeing the shift of the Roman state into an autocracy under Augustus would have deeply influenced his view on history. His status as a senator shows he was part of the Roman elite, and it was in this aristocratic and intellectual environment that he built his career as a writer and public figure.
Key Achievements
- Authored the Annales, a historical account covering the Roman civil wars and the Augustan age
- Delivered a celebrated defense speech before the Roman Senate arguing for the freedom of historical writing
- His works were preserved and republished after the fall of Tiberius, surviving attempted imperial censorship
- Became one of the earliest documented victims of politically motivated book burning under the Roman Empire
Did You Know?
- 01.Cremutius Cordus was accused under the lex maiestas, a law against treason, specifically for praising Brutus and calling Cassius 'the last of the Romans' in his historical writings.
- 02.After his forced suicide in 25 AD, the Senate ordered his books to be burned by the aediles, one of the earliest known cases of imperial book burning in Rome.
- 03.His daughter Marcia preserved copies of his works in secret, and they were later republished after the death of the emperor Tiberius.
- 04.The philosopher Seneca the Younger addressed his consolatory essay 'Ad Marciam de Consolatione' to Cremutius Cordus's daughter, Marcia, in which he praised her father's courage and integrity.
- 05.Tacitus records the speech Cremutius Cordus gave before the Senate in his own defense as a rare example of a condemned man openly challenging the legitimacy of his prosecution.