The Satyricon of Petronius / The Apocolocyntosis of Seneca Study Guide

The introduction was written by the book's translator, Professor J. P. Sullivan. The Satyricon was written by Titus Petronius who served in the court of the Roman ruler, Nero. Although this work survives centuries, there is controversy about the authorship of it. Some scholars doubt that the Satyricon was written by Petronius, Nero's courtier. However, there is no consensus among the doubters as to its actual authorship. The writing style and language point to the first century AD as do the economic and historical references. What is obvious is that the author was a highly literate individual. Due to his place in Nero's court—Nero having strong literary ambitions—Petronius would have been viewed as a talented writer. Petronius ultimately became the Arbiter of Elegance in Nero's court, which was a recognition of his sophistication and talent. Petronius apparently had great influence over Nero. (read more)