author
Petronius Arbiter
20–66
A stylish insider of Nero’s court, Petronius was remembered as the “judge of elegance” and is generally credited with writing the witty, revealing satire The Satyricon. His life and death remain entwined with the intrigue of imperial Rome.
10 Audiobooks
Le Satyricon
by Petronius Arbiter
The Satyricon of Petronius Arbiter
by Petronius Arbiter
The Satyricon — Complete
by Petronius Arbiter
The Satyricon — Volume 05: Crotona Affairs
by Petronius Arbiter
The Satyricon — Volume 01: Introduction
by Petronius Arbiter
The Satyricon — Volume 03: Encolpius and His Companions
by Petronius Arbiter
The Satyricon — Volume 07: Marchena Notes
by Petronius Arbiter
The Satyricon — Volume 02: Dinner of Trimalchio
by Petronius Arbiter
The Satyricon — Volume 06: Editor's Notes
by Petronius Arbiter
The Satyricon — Volume 04 : Escape by Sea
by Petronius Arbiter
About the author
Petronius Arbiter was a Roman writer and courtier, usually dated to around 27–66 CE. Ancient writers describe him as arbiter elegantiae—the “judge of elegance”—at the court of Emperor Nero, where he was admired for his taste and sophistication. He also served as suffect consul in 62 CE.
Petronius is generally believed to be the author of The Satyricon, a fragmentary Latin novel that mixes satire, adventure, comedy, and vivid portraits of Roman society. The work is especially famous for its depiction of excess and social ambition in the episode known as “The Dinner of Trimalchio.”
His final years were marked by political danger at Nero’s court, and he died in 66 CE. Because the surviving evidence is limited and sometimes uncertain, both his biography and the exact relationship between the historical courtier and the author of The Satyricon continue to be discussed by scholars.