Page "Domitian" Paragraph 75

Although Tacitus is usually considered to be the most reliable author of this era, his views on Domitian are complicated by the fact that his father-in-law, Gnaeus Julius Agricola, may have been a personal enemy of the Emperor.

In his biographical work Agricola, Tacitus maintains that Agricola was forced into retirement because his triumph over the Caledonians highlighted Domitian's own inadequacy as a military commander.

Several modern authors such as Dorey have argued the opposite: that Agricola was in fact a close friend of Domitian, and that Tacitus merely sought to distance his family from the fallen dynasty once Nerva was in power.

Tacitus ' major historical works, including The Histories and Agricola's biography, were all written and published under Domitian's successors Nerva ( 96 – 98 ) and Trajan ( 98 – 117 ).

Unfortunately, the part of Tacitus ' Histories dealing with the reign of the Flavian dynasty is almost entirely lost.

His views on Domitian survive through brief comments in its first five books, and the short but highly negative characterisation in Agricola in which he severely criticises Domitian's military endeavours.

Nevertheless, Tacitus admits his debt to the Flavians with regard to his own public career.