Catullus facts for kids

Modern bust of Catullus on the Piazza Carducci in Sirmione.

Gaius Valerius Catullus ( kə-TUL-əs; c. 84 – c. 54 BC) was a Latin poet of the late Roman Republic who wrote chiefly in the neoteric style of poetry, focusing on personal life rather than classical heroes. His surviving works are still read widely and continue to influence poetry and other forms of art.

Catullus's poems were widely appreciated by contemporary poets, significantly influencing Ovid and Virgil, among others. After his rediscovery in the Late Middle Ages, Catullus again found admirers such as Petrarca.

Images for kids

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  Catullus at Lesbia's by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema