Died 65 C.E.
Author

Pursuit of Pleasure. Credited as the author of Satyrica, a satirical narrative of hedonistic life in Rome, Petronius was a friend of the emperor Nero's court. His birth date is uncertain. Petronius served as governor of Bithynia and was consul in 61 C.E., appointments that he successfully fulfilled. Petronius seems to have dedicated the remainder of his life to writing, sleeping, and the pursuit of pleasure. Petronius's sense of style was considered so refined that he was unofficially called the emperor's "arbiter of elegance." Nero considered nothing charming or elegant without Petronius' approval. Such favoritism incurred the jealousy of other courtiers, and soon Petronius came under Nero's suspicion. Without waiting for official orders, Petronius committed suicide in a long, protracted process that involved variously cutting open his veins and binding them up again while he conversed with friends, ate, and slept so...