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Work #779 · Late

The Annals

Tacitus (Publius Cornelius Tacitus)
c. 116-120 CE (later years of Trajan, reign of Hadrian) · Latin
Imperial Roman historical narrative · Classical Roman historiography / Silver-Latin prose

Tacitus's c. 116-120 CE history of imperial Rome — Tiberius to Nero, the corruption of power

Attribute Fingerprint

Rows where works disagree are highlighted in gold. The full ontology grid is shown.

Attribute The Annals (Late)
Time · Extent Infinite
Time · Ontological Status Substantival
Time · Grain Continuous
Time · Freedom Non-Deterministic
Time · Traversability Linear
Time · Dimensionality One
Time · Direction Uni-directional
Space · Extent Infinite
Space · Ontological Status Substantival
Space · Curvature Flat
Space · Dimensionality Three
Space · Locality Local
Matter · Extent Infinite
Matter · Ontological Status Substantival
Matter · Conservation Conserved
Matter · Dimensionality Three
Matter · Locality Local
Observer · Time Instance Single
Observer · Space Instance Single
Observer · Knowledge Extent Partial
Observer · Knowledge Retainment Total
Observer · Physicality Embodied
Observer · Agency Both
Observer · Number Plural
Observer · Metaphysical Agency Theistic
Observer · Moral Authority Tradition
Observer · Theological Method —
Energy · Extent Infinite
Energy · Ontological Status Substantival
Energy · Conservation Conserved
Energy · Dispersibility Irreversible
Information · Ontological Status Substantival
Information · Cosmic Conservation Conserved
Information · Personal Conservation Conserved
Information · Granularity Continuous

Dimension-by-Dimension Evidence

What each work's passages reveal about its stance on each of the six dimensions.

⧖

Time

The Annals

The historical time of the Julio-Claudian emperors.

✦

Space

The Annals

Rome and the empire.

◉

Matter

The Annals

Emperors, senators, soldiers, informers.

◎

Observer

The Annals

Tacitus the senatorial historian.

⚡

Energy

The Annals

Energies of imperial power and political corruption.

⧉

Information

The Annals

Senatorial records and reported speeches.

Internal Tensions

Where each work's argument pulls against itself.

The Annals

Tacitus's Annals: foundational for Western historical narrative; central to early-modern republican political thought (Machiavelli, Hobbes) and theories of decline.