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How did Horace’s father gain his freedom and support his son’s education?

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Horace Horace, bronze medal, 4th century; in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris

Horace’s father was formerly a slave who gained his freedom before the poet’s birth. Following his manumission, he worked as an auctioneer’s assistant and owned a small property.1

These modest means allowed him to personally ensure his son received the best available education. He took Horace to Rome to study at the school of the famous teacher Orbilius.1