Valerius Flaccus

Valerius Flaccus (Valerius Flaccus Setinus Balbus, second half of the 1st century AD – ca. 90–95 AD) — a Roman epic poet and senator, originally from the city of Setia in the Campania region of Italy.

He is known as the author of the epic poem Argonautica, which he dedicated to Emperor Vespasian. Following the model of Apollonius of Rhodes, the poem recounts the voyage of the Argonauts to Colchis. The work is unfinished and consists of eight books.

Valerius Flaccus’s style shows the clear influence of Vergil. He describes the peoples living along the Black Sea coast, including Kartvelian tribes such as the Chalybes, Tibareni, Mossynoeci, and Macrones. The poem also provides detailed information about Colchis, the River Phasis (modern Rioni), and King Aeëtes.

It is evident that the author drew upon the geographical descriptions of his Roman contemporaries, especially Pomponius Mela and Pliny the Elder. The combination of ancient and contemporary sources calls for a critical approach to Valerius Flaccus’s accounts.

Literary works: Argonauticon libri VIII, ed. O. Kramer, Lipsiae, 1913; Argonauticon libri octo, ed. J. H. Horley, L., Cambr. 1934 (Loeb Classical Library).

Literature: გ ი გ ა უ რ ი  ც., ვალერიუს ფლაკუსის „არგონავტიკა”, «ცისკარი», 1969, №8; უ რ უ შ ა ძ ე  ა., ძველი კოლხეთი არგონავტების თქმულებაში, თბ., 1964.

N. Lomouri