Naples: Legends of Foreign Generals

Author: (Ancient Rome) Nepos
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-04-01
Features: "The Lives of Foreign Commanders" primarily describes the Greek generals of the 5th and 4th centuries BC. Nepos did not attempt to establish a precise chronological background for these subjects but instead allowed readers to infer the temporal relationships through the description of the major battles or political struggles in which each subject participated. Regarding the content of the biographies, Nepos made every effort to emphasize that he was writing biographies rather than history. Therefore, Nepos' works not only record the political and military achievements that made these figures famous but also describe their leisure activities, personal interests, and life details. Some argue that based on this, Nepos was truly the first person to write biographies of statesmen (not historical essays).