De reditu suo

work by Rutilius Claudius Namatianus

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June 25, 2026

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De reditu suo is an elegiac poem by Rutilius Claudius Namatianus, written in the autumn of 417 AD. It details his journey from Rome back to his estates in Gaul, which had been raided by Germanic tribes. The poem is significant for offering insights into the ideology of the pagan aristocracy during the decline of the Western Roman Empire.

Rutilius, who had served as prefect of Rome, was a pagan who idealized Rome's past strength and justice, contrasting with the harsh realities of his time. The poem survives in fragments, with the surviving sections praising Rome and recounting the coastal journey. Rutilius's Latin is noted for its purity and elegance, reminiscent of Augustan poets like Ovid. He is considered one of the last notable Roman poets.1

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Rutilius Claudius Namatianus
…author of an elegiac poem, De reditu suo, describing a journey from Rome to his native Gaul in the autumn of ad 417. The poem is chiefly interesting for the light it throws on the ideology of the pagan landowning aristocracy of the rapidly disintegrating Western Roman Empire.
Read More
…author of an elegiac poem, De reditu suo, describing a journey from Rome to his native Gaul in the autumn of ad 417. The poem is chiefly interesting for the light it throws on the ideology of the pagan landowning aristocracy of the rapidly disintegrating Western Roman Empire.
Read More