The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire · Character
Veratius
- Minor
- First seen · Book 1 · Ch. 197
There is something predatory in the way he moves through the crowd, striking out with casual violence as though the world itself were an inconvenience. His fine clothes and the attendant trailing behind him with a purse mark him as a man who has never known consequence.
- Gender
- male
- First appears
- Book 1 · Ch. 197
- Books
- 1
Veratius appears in the historical record as a wealthy Roman whose behavior exemplified the decadence and lawlessness that Gibbon associates with the empire's decline. He is described running through the streets, striking the faces of innocent passersby, with an attendant purse-bearer following to pay the legal penalties for his assaults. This single anecdote serves as a window into the corruption of Roman society, where wealth could purchase immunity from justice and the powerful could abuse the powerless without fear of meaningful punishment.
Description
A wealthy Roman man of indeterminate age, dressed in fine linen and wool garments with subtle embroidery, his face bearing the flush of wine and indulgence. His hair is dark and carefully arranged, his skin pale from a life of leisure. He carries himself with the careless confidence of privilege, his expression one of bored cruelty. An attendant follows at a respectful distance, carrying a heavy purse of coins.
Story so far
BOOK 1The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire / Table of Contents with links in the HTML file to the two Project Gutenberg editions (12 volumes)
Appearances
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