Tacitus

===Approach to history===
Tacitus's historical style owes some debt to [[Sallust]]. His historiography offers penetrating—often pessimistic—insights into the psychology of power politics, blending straightforward descriptions of events, moral lessons, and tightly focused dramatic accounts. Tacitus's own declaration regarding his approach to history (''Annals'' I,1) is well known:
<blockquote>''inde consilium mihi ... tradere ... sine ira et studio, quorum causas procul habeo.''</blockquote>
<blockquote>my purpose is ... to relate ... without either anger or zeal, motives from which I am far removed.</blockquote>

There has been much scholarly discussion about Tacitus's "neutrality". Throughout his writing, he is preoccupied with the balance of power between the Senate and the [[Roman emperor|emperors]], and the increasing corruption of the governing [[social class|classes]] of Rome as they adjusted to the ever-growing wealth and power of the empire. In Tacitus's view, senators squandered their cultural inheritance—that of [[Freedom of speech|free speech]]—to placate their (rarely benign) emperor.

Tacitus noted the increasing dependence of the emperor on the goodwill of his armies. The [[Julio-Claudian dynasty|Julio-Claudians]] eventually gave way to generals, who followed Julius Caesar (and [[Sulla]] and [[Pompey]]) in recognizing that military might could secure them the political power in Rome. (''Hist.'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Tac.+Hist.+1.4 1.4])

<blockquote>Welcome as the death of Nero had been in the first burst of joy, yet it had not only roused various emotions in Rome, among the Senators, the people, or the soldiery of the capital, it had also excited all the legions and their generals; for now had been divulged that secret of the empire, that emperors could be made elsewhere than at Rome.</blockquote>

Tacitus's political career was largely lived out under the emperor Domitian. His experience of the tyranny, corruption, and decadence of that era (81–96) may explain the bitterness and irony of his political analysis. He draws our attention to the dangers of power without accountability, love of power untempered by principle, and the apathy and corruption engendered by the concentration of wealth generated through trade and conquest by the empire.

Nonetheless, the image he builds of Tiberius throughout the first six books of the ''Annals'' is neither exclusively bleak nor approving: most scholars view the image of Tiberius as predominantly ''positive'' in the first books, and predominantly ''negative'' after the intrigues of [[Sejanus]]. The entrance of Tiberius in the first chapters of the first book is dominated by the hypocrisy of the new emperor and his courtiers. In the later books, some respect is evident for the cleverness of the old emperor in securing his position.

In general, Tacitus does not fear to praise and to criticize the same person, often noting what he takes to be their more admirable and less admirable properties. One of Tacitus's hallmarks is refraining from ''conclusively'' taking sides for or against persons he describes, which has led some to interpret his works as both supporting and rejecting the imperial system (see [[Tacitean studies]], ''Black'' vs. ''Red'' Tacitists).