| − | '''Tacitus''' (A.D. 55-120) was the [[Roman]] author of ''Histories'', ''Annals'', and ''Germania'', describing first century Rome. His work comprises one of the earliest sources outside of the Bible to mention [[Christians]], as it chronicles [[Nero]]'s blaming of the Christians for the fire in Rome and the resulting large scale persecution of Christians that ensued. Tacitus did not think highly of Christians or [[Jews]]. He painted an unflattering picture of Rome under the rule of the Emperors, paying careful note to corruption or scandal. His works give a detailed history of life under the Emperors from the death of [[Augustus]], the first Emperor, to the death of [[Domitian]] covering a period from A.D. 14 to A.D. 96. | + | '''Tacitus''' (A.D. 55-120) was the [[Roman]] author of ''Histories'', ''Annals'', and ''Germania'', describing first century Rome. His work comprises one of the earliest sources outside of the [[Bible]] to mention [[Christians]], as it chronicles [[Nero]]'s blaming of the Christians for the fire in Rome and the resulting large scale persecution of Christians that ensued. Tacitus did not think highly of Christians or [[Jews]]. He painted an unflattering picture of Rome under the rule of the Emperors, paying careful note to corruption or scandal. His works give a detailed history of life under the Emperors from the death of [[Augustus]], the first Emperor, to the death of [[Domitian]] covering a period from A.D. 14 to A.D. 96. |
| | As with many others writers of antiquity, only portions of his writings have survived. | | As with many others writers of antiquity, only portions of his writings have survived. |