Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Apocolocyntosis (divi) Claudii

Josiah Osgood (Georgetown University)

Ed. by William John Dominik, University of Otago
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.1.2: Ancient Roman Writing and Culture (Republic and Empire), -750-476.
Vol. editors: William John Dominik (University of Otago), Giacomo Fedeli (University of Exeter), Thomas Habinek (University of Southern California), Emily Kneebone (University of Nottingham), Elodie Paillard (University of Sydney), Sophia Papaioannou (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens), Jula Wildberger (American University of Paris)

Dates

First circulation or publication c. 54

Places

Ancient Rome (Republic & Empire) (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Satire

Resources

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After the announcement on 13 October 54 CE of the emperor Claudius’ death, the Senate of Rome later that day recognized Claudius’ adopted son, the sixteen-year-old Nero, as the new emperor, and—by the vote of cult honors—recognized Claudius himself as a god.

Apocolocyntosis

is a satiric account written in prose and poetry of the late emperor’s final moments on earth and of what happened after he made his way to Olympus. The Senate’s own actions are conspicuously omitted, although the satire’s author, Seneca, was a senator, as well as Nero’s tutor and also a prolific philosopher and writer of tragedies. The Greek title

Apocolocyntosis

, attested not by manuscripts of the satire but only in the Roman history of Cassius Dio (60.35.3), is clearly formed on analogy with

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1858 words

Citation: Osgood, Josiah. "Apocolocyntosis (divi) Claudii". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 13 April 2012 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=33495, accessed 24 April 2024.]

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