Quintus Fabius Pictor facts for kids

Quintus Fabius Pictor was a very early Roman historian. He lived around 270 BC to 200 BC. He wrote a history of Rome in Greek. Most of his work is now lost, but it was very important to later writers. His work helped bring Greek ways of writing history to Rome.

However, his history strongly favored Rome. It blamed Carthage for the Second Punic War (218–201 BC). It also showed the Roman Republic as a well-organized state that was loyal to its friends. Fabius was likely a Roman official called a praetor. He was also a member of the Senate. In 216 BC, he went on a special trip to the oracle in Delphi.

Who Was Quintus Fabius Pictor?

Quintus Fabius Pictor was born around 270 BC. He came from a very important and old Roman family called the gens Fabia. This family was known as patricians, which meant they were from the noble class.

The name Pictor means 'painter' in Latin. This name came from his grandfather, Gaius Fabius Pictor. His grandfather had decorated a temple in 304 BC. Quintus Fabius Pictor's father, Gaius Fabius Pictor, was a top Roman official (consul) in 269 BC.

Fabius's Early Life and Career

Fabius fought in Roman wars against the Gauls and the Ligurians. These battles happened in northern Italy during the 230s BC. In 233 BC, he was probably a young officer. He served under his cousin, Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus, who was a consul.

He most likely became a praetor (a Roman judge or official) before 218 BC. Fabius joined the Senate before the Second Punic War began in 218 BC. However, he was not one of the most famous senators. He might have also fought in the Battle of Lake Trasimene in 217 BC.

Journey to Delphi

In 216 BC, during the Second Punic War, Rome suffered a terrible loss. This was the Battle of Cannae against Hannibal. After this defeat, Fabius was chosen for an important mission. He had to travel to the oracle at Delphi. Delphi was a very important religious place in Greece. His job was to ask the oracle for guidance for Rome.

His cousin, Fabius Verrucosus, probably suggested him for this role. Fabius Pictor knew a lot about Greek language and culture. This knowledge would have helped him on his trip. He might also have been part of a special group of priests. It is also thought that Fabius was sent to find out what the Greeks thought about Hannibal's alliance with Philip V of Macedon.

Later Life

We do not know much about Fabius's life after his trip to Delphi. It is unclear if he lived to see the end of the Second Punic War in 201 BC. Another person named Quintus Fabius Pictor was a praetor in 189 BC. This person, who died in 167 BC, was probably his son.

Fabius's Historical Writings

Fabius wrote his history of Rome sometime between 215 and 200 BC. His work was published before 192 BC. It came out either during or soon after the Second Punic War. Some experts believe it was published no later than 213 BC.

Fabius wrote his history in Greek. At that time, Greek was the best language to reach many educated people. This included people in Italy, Greece, and other parts of the Mediterranean world. Some Latin writings found under Fabius's name are likely later translations of his Greek history. They might also have been early drafts in Latin.

As one historian said, people in many countries started to rewrite their history in Greek. They wanted to share it with educated readers in a world with many different cultures. Some scholars also think Fabius wrote his history mainly for a Greek audience.

What His Work Covered

Fabius's work had different names, like Annales Graeci or Romaika praxeis. It was divided into three main parts:

• The first part was about the ktisis, which means the creation story of Rome. This included the early years of the Roman Republic.
• The second part covered "antiquities after the foundation." This meant the time from around 450 BC to the Pyrrhic War (280–275 BC).
• The third part was about more recent history. It started from the beginning of the First Punic War (264–241 BC) and continued up to his own time.

Fabius's story of early Rome mixed real history with myths. His story began with the hero Herakles coming to Italy. It also included the arrival of the legendary Trojan refugee Aeneas in Latium. He said Rome was founded in 747 BC. This date matched with Greek Olympic timelines. This shows he wanted to be accurate and connect Rome to Greek culture. Fabius's work ended with his own memories of the Second Punic War. We do not know if he lived long enough to finish writing about the whole war.

How We Know About His Work

Fabius's history has not survived completely. But we know about it from other ancient writers. They quoted him or mentioned his work. It is not certain if his work was "annalistic." This means writing events year by year. However, other historians quoting him might suggest it was. Some experts say his work was not just a simple list of events.

Fabius's Ideas and Influence

Fabius was influenced by Greek ways of writing history. He especially learned from the Greek historian Timaeus. Other Greek writers had also written about Rome's mythical beginnings. Fabius was influenced by them too. For example, he used the story of Romulus and Remus from another writer named Diocles.

Fabius saw Roman history as a complete story. His views were biased towards Rome. This strong national pride probably grew because of the wars with Carthage. It was especially strong after the Roman defeat at Cannae in 216 BC. His work showed Rome as a well-ordered state. It also stressed Rome's loyalty to its allies. This might have been an effort to help Rome's image after the defeat.

One expert says Fabius wrote in Greek for two reasons. First, he did not think of writing in Latin. Second, he needed to defend Rome's actions to the Greek world. However, another historian believes Fabius's writings about his own time were fair. They did not rush to blame Carthage for starting the Second Punic War.

Fabius's Lasting Impact

Fabius's idea that the Siege of Saguntum caused the Second Punic War became very popular. He said Hannibal's attack was simply "unjust." This view was accepted by many ancient historians. In the early 100s BC, Roman historians like Lucius Cincius Alimentus and Gaius Acilius were greatly influenced by Fabius. They learned from his language, style, and topics.

Fabius's writings started a new kind of national history. It was less about local stories. It focused more on how political systems continued over time. Romans felt a deep connection to their past. They wanted to tell their history from the very beginning. Fabius kept this tradition alive. He used Greek historical methods. He also kept much of their content. Fabius created national history for the Western world. He helped shape how people expressed their national identity. He might even have helped create the idea of national identity itself.

Many later writers used Fabius as a source. These included Polybius, Livy, Gellius, Quadrigarius, Plutarch, and Dionysius of Halicarnassus. Even though Polybius used Fabius's history, he sometimes complained about it. He said Fabius was biased towards the Romans and sometimes inconsistent. Cicero, a famous Roman speaker, did not think highly of early Roman historians. He said they wrote like simple yearly records.

In 1749, a book was published that claimed to be an "Account of the Roman History of Fabius Pictor." It said a manuscript in the "Carthaginian language" was found in Herculaneum. This was actually a joke. It was a political satire about English religion and politics at the time.

See also

In Spanish: Quinto Fabio Píctor para niños