Publius Vergilius Maro (Classical Latin: [ˈpuːbliʊs wɛrˈɡɪliʊs ˈmaroː]; 15 October 70 BC – 21 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil (/ ˈvɜːrdʒɪl / VUR-jil) in English, was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period.
Virgil, Roman poet, best known for his national epic, the Aeneid (from c. 30 BCE; unfinished at his death), which tells the story of Rome’s legendary founder and proclaims the Roman mission to civilize the world under divine guidance. Learn more about Virgil’s life and works in this article.
Publius Vergilius Maro, commonly known as Virgil (or Vergil), was one of the greatest poets of ancient Rome. He was born on October 15, 70 BC, near Mantua in northern Italy. Virgil is celebrated for his three major works: the Eclogues (or Bucolics), the Georgics, and his magnum opus, the Aeneid.
Virgil (also spelled Vergil), born Publius Vergilius Maro in 70 BCE, was the most celebrated poet of ancient Rome. He is best known for writing the Aeneid, the national epic of Rome, which tells the legendary story of Aeneas, a Trojan hero who founded the Roman people.
From his thirty-first year on, Virgil lived either in Rome or near Naples, associated with his patron, Maecenas, Octavian's minister of internal affairs. Virgil was a court poet, whose well-being depended on pleasing powerful members of the ruling class.
Virgil, or Publius Vergilius Maro, is regarded as one of the greatest Roman poets. The Romans regarded his Aeneid, published two years after his death, as their national epic (a long poem centered around a legendary hero).
Virgil transformed Rome’s past into prophecy and poetry into conscience. From the shepherds of Mantua to the heroes of empire, his voice became the soul of Rome’s Golden Age—and the eternal guide of Western imagination.