When and where was Lucan born?
Marcus Annaeus Lucanus arrived in the Roman colony of Corduba on the 3rd of November AD 39. He entered a wealthy family with central Italic origins that traced its lineage back to Seneca the Elder.
Questions about Lucan
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What major work did Lucan write about the civil war between Julius Caesar and Pompey?
Pharsalia or De Bello Civili stands as the surviving major work of Lucan today. It covers the wars between Julius Caesar and Pompey during the Roman civil war.
Why did Emperor Nero ban Lucan from publishing his poems?
Lucan wrote insulting poems about Nero according to narratives by Tacitus and Suetonius. This criticism of Nero and the office of the Emperor may have been the true cause of the ban.
How did Lucan die at the age of twenty-five years old?
He was obliged at the age of 25 to commit suicide by opening a vein. Before dying, he incriminated his mother Acilia among others in the hopes of a pardon.
Which lost works are attributed to Lucan regarding the Roman fire of 64?
Lost works include De Incendio Urbis on the Burning of the City which perhaps accuses Nero of arson. The philologist Peter White suggests that stories about Polla Argentaria assisting him could easily be a later invention denigrating the account as sentimental fancy.