Suetonius

Suetonius (Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus) was born about AD 70, into a family of equestrian rank (knights), possibly at Hippo Regius in North Africa, where a fragmentary inscription, perhaps from a statue plinth, commemorating his official career was discovered in 1950. He held a series of important posts at the imperial court, under Trajan (98–117), probably, and Hadrian (117–138), certainly – his final office placed him in charge of Hadrian’s correspondence. Suetonius was also a prolific author, but most of his literary output is now lost. His biographies of the Twelve Caesars – begining with Julius Caesar and ending with Domitian (d.96) – have, however, survived virtually intact (just an account of Julius Caesar’s youth is missing). Suetonius dedicated the work to one Gaius Septicius Clarus, who became Praetorian Prefect in 119. Both Suetonius and Septicius are said (Historia Augusta ‘Hadrian’ 11) to have been dismissed from their posts in 122, apparently for being disrespectful to Hadrian’s wife, Sabina. How much longer Suetonius lived is not known.