Born a peasant, Virgil was raised on a farm before being educated in the Greek and Roman authors. His rural upbringing influenced all his poetry, especially his earlier work, like the “Eclogues”.

SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Professor Mary Beard One of the ... seemingly never affected by any of life’s setbacks. Virgil’s Aeneid was inspired by Homer and served as the inspiration ...

See how much you really know about ancient Rome – and fill in the gaps ... founds the city after fleeing the destruction of Troy – a narrative pushed by Roman poet Virgil in his magnum opus, The ...