It was the lot of Publius Vergilius Maro (70 – 19 BC) to be both a witness to and participant in one the most singular moments in Roman history: the end of the Republic and the advent and consolidation of the Augustan Principality. He is, moreover, the most famous Latin poet, read and valued since Classical Antiquity to our own day.

This highly readable book explores and synthesizes the history of 1st century BC Rome. The text is structured around the figure of the poet Virgil, a leading figure in the contemporary culture whose name has become a byword. In this way, the reader broadens his understanding of the politics and social life surrounding the author as well as own works, their gestation and influence.