Petronius Arbiter

Usually identified with the Petronius described by Tacitus, he lived in the 1st century CE and moved in the highest circles of Nero's court. Tacitus portrays him as a stylish, pleasure-loving aristocrat whose taste was so admired that he became known as an authority on elegance, often translated as the emperor's "arbiter of taste."

He is traditionally credited with the Satyricon, a daring and unusual Roman prose work that mixes satire, adventure, and social observation. Though only fragments survive, it became one of the most famous texts to come down from ancient Rome, especially for its vivid picture of everyday life and its unforgettable banquet scene, the Cena Trimalchionis.

According to the ancient account, Petronius fell from favor during Nero's reign and died in 66 CE after being accused in court intrigue. Because the evidence is ancient and incomplete, some details of his life remain uncertain, but his reputation as a witty, sophisticated, and worldly voice in Latin literature has endured.