Arbiter of elegance: a study of the life and works of C. Petronius

In this subtle study Professor Bagnani argues one major thesis and presents one major hypothesis. The major thesis is “that the Satiricon was written between a.d. 58 and 65”, and the corollary thereto that the author is Petronius“ Arbiter”; the major hypothesis is that Petronius also wrote the Ludus de morte Claudii. The book has a third major topic, the biography of Petronins, written on the assumption that the Petronius of Tacitus is the author of both the works mentioned (cf. p. 47). Another important point, which B. does not offer as fact but to which he assigns “a high degree of probability,” is that “the Satiricon was written for the amusement of Nero and his panel fami- liares on the occasion of the Neroneia of a.d. 60”.