Titus Livius (59 BCE - 17 CE), known as Livy, was a Roman teacher, writer and historian, and friend of the Emperor Augustus. Livy was a teenager during the time of civil wars throughout the Roman world, was educated in philosophy and rhetoric, and moved to Rome sometime in the 30s BC. After working as a teacher of rhetoric, he decided to forego teaching and write a history of the city. Using only traditions, official temple annals (which weren't entirely reliable) and personal records of illustrious families, Livy attempted to compile the most complete history of Rome from its creation to the reign of Tiberius. Nearly eight centuries of history originally comprised 142 books, of which barely a quarter have survived. Nevertheless, this monumental work paints a colorful picture of the grandeur of Rome; it is as much a narration as it is a history, and provides a fascinating glimpse into the Roman Empire and its citizens. Contained in this edition is the last of four volumes, comprising the extant works of Livy.

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