1. Tacitus: Germania
Cornelius Tacitus (c. 55-c. 117)
Historian
Born in S. Gaul, upper
class
Studied rhetoric in Rome
Held various government
positions

2. Tacitus: Germania
Various works, including:
Histories
Annals
De Origine et Situ Germanorum
(Germania)

3. Cassiodorus
Flavius Magnus Aurelius Cassiodorus (c. 490-
c. 583)
Politician, scholar, educator
Classical education. Rhetorical skills win him
position at court of Theoderic. Holds
various positions until c. 540
c. 540 Leaves court, spends c. 15 years in
Constantinople

4. Cassiodorus
Retires to monastery of Vivarium, at Squillace,
Italy
Several works, including Variae (c. 538),
collection of official documents from
time at court

5. Gregory of Tours
538/39-594/95
Born Clermont-Ferrand, with
name Georgius Florentius
573 Becomes Bishop of Tours
History of the Franks/
Ecclesiastical Histories, plus
saints’ lives

6. The Law of the
Salian Franks