Tite-Live et la République romaine

In the aftermath of a period of civil wars and impelled by the feeling that the state was “buckling under its own might” Titus Livius (Livy), around 31 BC, set about writing an account of the history of Rome from its beginnings while Augustus, in restoring peace, was trying to impose the Principate as a new political model. Despite the context in which he wrote, Livy still suffers from a reputation as an ‘apolitical’ historian, while the Ab Vrbe condita, of which only the account of the earliest periods of the city’s history survives, has often been viewed as no more than a collection of artfully arranged exempla. The present book shows, on the contrary, that Livy’s work provided an opportunity to use well-known examples from the past to redefine Rome’s political identity, during a period of political turmoil. Livy’s Ab Vrbe condita may thus be read as a discourse about Roman power. In recounting the story of the city’s past, the historian makes comments, narrative choices, and inserts into the speeches attributed to historical figures general remarks that help us in many ways to grasp his own political thinking. Most of the time, these thoughts are akin to what can be read in Cicero’s political treatises. Cicero’s De Republica and De Officiis actually offered a philosophical frame of reference for political thinking, concerning the state’s institutions and the duties of its leaders. However, Livy develops his own theory and adds to Cicero’s political thought considerations on issues specific to his own time. Livy mainly defends the libertas of the Roman people against the emergence of personal power. In every situation, Livy sheds light on the complex relationships between the leaders and the state institutions and between the leaders and the Roman people. Linking exempla and speeches, Livy suggests a stable and coherent model of government based upon the virtues of past political leaders and the shared values of the Roman people.