Plutarch
Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus (circa 46 AD - circa. 120 AD)
When and where born?
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Plutarch was born into a prominent family who were wealthy from Chaetonia, Boeotia (Greece) so was a Greek rather than Roman citizen, therefore many Romans saw him as an outsider. In Plutarch's lifetime, political control of the Roman Empire would be unstable as various Emperors would seize control upon the death of the prevoius.
The time in which Plutarch was writing was a time where the Romans cared more for the tales of great men and their motives than for truthful accounts, due to the political instability. |
Career outside of writing
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Plutarch severed as one of two priests at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, which was just twenty miles from his home. Through his lectures and writings, Plutarch became famous around the Roman Empire but remained in Chaetonia, playing an active part in local affairs (ie. serving as mayor). Plutarch would have guests from across the Empire come to his country estate to congregate for serious conversation (ie. theology, politics, etc.) and would himself preside over the debates.
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Work on Alexander the Great
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Plutarch claims that when writing 'Parallel Lives', he is attempting to inform the reader about the character of the people he is writing about rather than to describe events in their lives. He says "It is not histories I am writing, but lives; and in the most glorious deeds there is not always an indication of virtue of vice, indeed a small thing like a phrase or a jest often makes a greater revelation of a character than battles where thousands die."
Plutarch uses both the 'vulgate' tradition and the 'good' tradition as sources for his work. The 'vulgate' tradition are materials that follow Cleitarchus (a biographer who published his works between 310 BC and 301 BC) whereas the 'good' tradition are materials that follow Ptolemy (one of Alexander's generals). |