Petronius Arbiter

Gaius Petronius Arbiter (Classical Latin: [ˈɡaːiʊs pɛˈtroːniʊs arbɪtɛr]; c. 27 – c. 66 AD; sometimes Titus Petronius Niger) was a Roman courtier during the reign of Nero (r. 54–68). He is generally believed to be the author of the Satyricon, a satirical novel believed to have been written during the Neronian era.

He is one of the most important characters in Henryk Sienkiewicz's historical novel Quo Vadis (1895). Leo Genn portrays him in the 1951 film of the same name.

Life

A reference to Petronius by Sidonius Apollinaris places him, or his Satyricon, in Massalia (ancient Marseille). He might have been born and educated there. Tacitus, Plutarch and Pliny the Elder describe Petronius as the elegantiae arbiter (also phrased arbiter elegantiarum), "judge of elegance", in the court of the emperor Nero. He served as suffect consul in 62. Later, he became a member of the senatorial class who devoted himself to a life of pleasure. His relationship to Nero was apparently akin to that of a fashion advisor.

Tacitus gives this account of Petronius in his historical work the Annals (XVI.18):

He spent his days in sleep, his nights in attending to his official duties or in amusement, that by his dissolute life he had become as famous as other men by a life of energy, and that he was regarded as no ordinary profligate, but as an accomplished voluptuary. His reckless freedom of speech, being regarded as frankness, procured him popularity. Yet during his provincial government, and later when he held the office of consul, he had shown vigour and capacity for affairs. Afterwards returning to his life of vicious indulgence, he became one of the chosen circle of Nero's intimates, and was looked upon as an absolute authority on questions of taste [elegantiae arbiter; note the pun on Petronius' cognomen] in connection with the science of luxurious living.