Works attributed to Florus


Three main sets of works are attributed to Florus : Virgilius orator an poeta, an Epitome of Roman History and a collection of poems. As to whether these were composed by the same person, or set of people, is unclear, but the works are variously attributed to:
The introduction to a dialogue called Virgilius orator an poeta is extant, in which the author states that he was born in Africa, and at an early age took part in the literary contests on the Capitol instituted by Domitian. Having been refused a prize owing to the prejudice against African provincials, he left Rome in disgust, and after travelling for some time, set up at Tarraco as a teacher of rhetoric. Here he was persuaded by an acquaintance to return to Rome, for it is generally agreed that he is the Florus who wrote the well-known lines quoted together with Hadrian's answer by Aelius Spartianus. Twenty-six trochaic tetrameters, De qualitate vitae, and five graceful hexameters, De rosis, are also attributed to him.

Poems

Florus was also an established poet. He was once thought to have been "the first in order of a number of second-century African writers who exercised a considerable influence on Latin literature, and also the first of the poetae neoterici or novelli of Hadrian's reign, whose special characteristic was the use of lighter and graceful meters, which had hitherto found little favour." Since Cameron's article on the topic, however, the existence of such a school has been widely called into question, in part because the remnants of all poets supposedly involved are too scantily attested for any definitive judgment.
The little poems will be found in E. Bahrens, Poëtae Latini minores ; for an unlikely identification of Florus with the author of the Pervigilium Veneris see E. H. O. Müller, De P. Anino Floro poéta et de Pervigilio Veneris, and, for the poet's relations with Hadrian, Franz Eyssenhardt, Hadrian und Florus ; see also Friedrich Marx in Pauly-Wissowa's Realencyclopädie, i. pt. 2.
Some his better-known poems include “Quality of Life”, “Roses in Springtime”, “Roses”, “The Rose”, “Venus’ Rose-Garden”, and “The Nine Muses”. Florus’ better-known poetry is also associated with his smaller poems that he would write to Hadrian out of admiration for the emperor.

''Epitome of Roman History''

The two books of the Epitome of Roman History were written in admiration of the Roman people. The books illuminate many historical events in a favorable tone for the Roman citizens. The documentation the book provides is mainly based on the writings of Livy, who was a Roman historian and author responsible for the work Ab Urbe Condita Libri. It consists of a brief sketch of the history of Rome from the foundation of the city to the closing of the temple of Janus by Augustus. The work, which is called Epitome de T. Livio Bellorum omnium annorum DCC Libri duo, is written in a bombastic and rhetorical style – a panegyric of the greatness of Rome, the life of which is divided into the periods of infancy, youth and manhood. It is often wrong in geographical and chronological details. In spite of its faults, the book was much used as a handy epitome of Roman history, in the Middle Ages, and survived as a textbook into the 19th century.
Florus is credited with being politically unbiased for almost all of his work. However, many will say that after reviewing his descriptions of the civil war, he seems to position himself closer to Julius Caesar than Pompeius. Florus starts his books with the founding of Rome and ends them with the reign of Augustus. The first book of the Epitome of Roman History is mainly about the establishment and growth of Rome. The second is mainly about the decline of Rome and its changing morals.
Florus has taken some criticism on his writing due to inaccuracies found chronologically and geographically in his stories, but even so, the Epitome of Roman History was vastly popular during the late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, as well as being used as a school book until the 19th century. The use of his writings far beyond his time is a testament to his premier narrative skills.
In the manuscripts, the writer is variously named as Julius Florus, Lucius Anneus Florus, or simply Annaeus Florus. From certain similarities of style, he has been identified as Publius Annius Florus, poet, rhetorician and friend of Hadrian, author of a dialogue on the question of whether Virgil was an orator or poet, of which the introduction has been preserved.
The most accessible modern text and translation are in the Loeb Classical Library.
Christopher Plantin, Antwerp, in 1567, published two Lucius Florus texts L.IVLII Flori de Gestis Romanorum, Historiarum; 2) Commentarius I STADII L.IVLII Flori de Gestis Romanorum, Historiarum. The first title has 149 pages; the second has 222 pages plus an index in a 12mo-size book.

Attribution of the works

Tentative biography

The Florus identified as Julius Florus was one of the young men who accompanied Tiberius on his mission to settle the affairs of Armenia. He has been variously identified with Julius Florus, a distinguished orator and uncle of Julius Secundus, an intimate friend of Quintilian ; with the leader of an insurrection of the Treviri ; with the Postumus of Horace and even with the historian Florus.
Under Domitian’s rule, he competed in the Capital Competition, which was an event in which poets received rewards and recognition from the emperor himself. Although he acquired great applause from the crowds, he was not victorious in the event. Florus himself blamed his loss on favoritism on behalf of the emperor.
Shortly after his defeat, Florus departed from Rome to travel abroad. His travels are said to have taken him through the Greek-speaking sections of the Roman Empire, taking in Sicily, Crete, the Cyclades, Rhodes, and Egypt.
At the conclusion of his travels, he resided in Tarraco, Spain. In Tarraco, Florus founded a school and taught literature. During this time, he also began to write the Epitome of Roman History.
After many years in Spain, he eventually migrated back to Rome during the rule of Hadrian. Hadrian and Florus became very close friends, and Florus was rumored to be involved in government affairs during the second half of Hadrian's rule.