Titus Livius (Latin: [ˈtɪtʊs ˈliːwiʊs]; 59 BC – AD 17), known in English as Livy ( LIV-ee), was a Roman historian. He wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people, titled Ab Urbe Condita, ''From the Founding of the City'', covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome before the traditional founding in 753 BC through the reign of Augustus in Livy's own lifetime. He was on good terms with members of the Julio-Claudian dynasty and was a friend of Augustus. Livy encouraged Augustus’s young grandnephew, the future emperor Claudius, to take up the writing of history.
The influence of Livy extends far beyond his own lifetime. He fundamentally shaped human knowledge and progress, and his achievements and contributions remain foundational to this day.
Though he passed away in 17, his ideas continue to be studied, debated, and built upon by scholars and practitioners worldwide.
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