Misplaced Pages

#266733

88-611: Wasserbillig lies at the confluence of the rivers Moselle and Sauer , which form the border with Germany at the town. On the opposite side of the Moselle and linked by a car ferry lies Oberbillig , Germany; on the opposite side of the Sauer and linked by vehicle and rail bridges lies Wasserbilligerbrück , Germany. Wasserbillig is the lowest settlement in Luxembourg, at 132 m (433 ft) above sea level. Around 100 AD, there

176-403: A 36 km (22 mi) long condominium from Apach, a common Germany–Luxembourg sovereign area with a division of responsibilities set out in a 1976 agreement. The International Moselle Company, initially set up in 1957 to finance the construction of the river's upgrade, manages the shipping charges and the operation and maintenance of the waterway which they are used to fund. Today the Moselle

264-525: A classical ethnographic tradition which includes authors such as Herodotus and Julius Caesar . The book begins (chapters 1–27) with a description of the lands, laws, and customs of the various tribes. Later chapters focus on descriptions of particular tribes, beginning with those who lived closest to the Roman empire, and ending with a description of those who lived on the shores of the Baltic Sea , such as

352-545: A drive to cross the Moselle at Dieulouard and split the German forces. Under the orders of Major General Manton S. Eddy, the 80th Infantry Division was given the objective of establishing a bridgehead that would allow Combat Command A (CCA) of the 4th Armored Division to advance into the rear of German forces and encircle the city of Nancy. On September 13, 1944, the 80th Division launched their assault accompanied by extensive artillery and air support, which helped to suppress

440-513: A few days later that Tacitus had spoken "with all the majesty which characterizes his usual style of oratory". A lengthy absence from politics and law followed while he wrote the Histories and the Annals . In 112 to 113, he held the highest civilian governorship, that of the Roman province of Asia in western Anatolia , recorded in the inscription found at Mylasa mentioned above. A passage in

528-413: A lawyer and as an orator ; his skill in public speaking ironically counterpoints his cognomen , Tacitus ("silent"). He served in the provinces from c.  89 to c.  93 , either in command of a legion or in a civilian post. He and his property survived Domitian 's reign of terror (81–96), but the experience left him jaded and perhaps ashamed at his own complicity, instilling in him

616-682: A literary theme as early as the 4th century. In his poem dated 371, called Mosella , which was published in 483 hexameters , this poet of the Late Antiquity and teacher at the Trier Imperial Court ( Kaiserhof ) described a journey from Bingen over the Hunsrück hills to the Moselle and then following its course to Trier on the road named after him, the Via Ausonia. Ausonius describes flourishing and rich landscapes along

704-517: A major decline in the number of so-called Nebenerwerbswinzer (vintners for whom it is a secondary occupation), and the small, family farming operations that, until the end of the 1960s formed the majority of wine businesses. Comparative figures by the Chamber of Agriculture for Rhineland-Palatinate for several wine villages on the Lower Moselle show that there were still 797 wine businesses in

792-819: A more nuanced view of Moselle wine that, a few years before, had been characterised by overproduction, label scandals and cheap offers. On 10 November 2006 in Burg , the Moselle Regional Initiative was founded. The introduction of the Moselle as an umbrella brand was based on that of the Eifel region and covers products and services from the areas of agriculture, forestry, tourism, handicrafts and nature. Tacitus#The Histories Publius Cornelius Tacitus , known simply as Tacitus ( / ˈ t æ s ɪ t ə s / TAS -it-əs , Latin: [ˈtakɪtʊs] ; c.  AD 56 – c.  120 ),

880-609: A path running for 365 km (227 mi) from Perl on the Upper Moselle to Koblenz . Numerous Moselle Trail "partner trails", the so-called side branches ( Seitensprünge ) and "dream paths" ( Traumpfade ) enhance the hiking network in the Moselle Valley. The ADAC 's Rallye Deutschland has taken place since 2000 in the vineyards along the Moselle at Veldenz , Dhron , Piesport , Minheim , Kesten , Trittenheim , Fell , Ruwertal and Trier . At Koblenz Locks

968-636: Is a river that rises in the Vosges mountains and flows through north-eastern France and Luxembourg to western Germany . It is a left bank tributary of the Rhine , which it joins at Koblenz . A small part of Belgium is in its basin as it includes the Sauer and the Our . Its lower course "twists and turns its way between Trier and Koblenz along one of Germany's most beautiful river valleys." In this section

SECTION 10

#1732776910267

1056-583: Is also car-free as part of Happy Moselle Day. A number of notable castles and ruins adorn the heights above the Moselle valley and many are visible on a boat trip on the Moselle. In 1910, a hiking trail, the Moselle Ridgeway, was established which runs for 185 km (115 mi) on the Eifel side and 262 km (163 mi) on the Hunsrück side. Another unusual trail runs from Ediger-Eller via

1144-441: Is dedicated to Fabius Iustus, a consul in 102 AD. Tacitus's writings are known for their dense prose that seldom glosses the facts, in contrast to the style of some of his contemporaries, such as Plutarch . When he writes about a near defeat of the Roman army in Annals I,63, he does so with brevity of description rather than embellishment. In most of his writings, he keeps to a chronological narrative order, only seldom outlining

1232-962: Is navigable for large cargo ships up to 110 metres (360 ft) long from the Rhine in Koblenz up to Neuves-Maisons , south of Nancy. For smaller ships it is connected to other parts of France through the Canal de la Meuse and the Canal de la Marne au Rhin . There are locks in Koblenz , Lehmen , Müden , Fankel , Sankt Aldegund , Enkirch , Zeltingen , Wintrich , Detzem , Trier , Grevenmacher , Palzem , Apach , Kœnigsmacker , Thionville , Richemont , Talange , Metz , Ars-sur-Moselle , Pagny-sur-Moselle , Blénod-lès-Pont-à-Mousson , Custines , Pompey , Aingeray , Fontenoy-sur-Moselle , Toul , Villey-le-Sec , and Neuves-Maisons. By 1970 more than 10 million tonnes of goods were being transported on

1320-473: Is on German soil in the states of Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland ; the Luxembourg part has an area of about 1,300 ha (3,200 acres) (see Wine in Luxembourg ). Upstream on the Moselle the vineyards extend into France as far as Seille in the region of Côtes de Moselle with an area of 130 ha (320 acres) and to the region around Toul ( Côtes de Toul ) covering 110 ha (270 acres). The German Moselle wine region, including its tributaries, bears

1408-688: Is on the Moselle, at the site of the France–Germany–Luxembourg tripoint, that the Schengen Agreement was signed in 1985, leading to the abolishment of border controls within the Schengen Area . The Moselle valley between Metz and Thionville is an industrial area, with coal mining and steel manufacturers. The Moselle valley is famous for its scenery and wine. Most well-known is the German Mosel wine region , while

1496-548: Is possible that this refers to a brother—if Cornelius was indeed his father. The friendship between the younger Pliny and Tacitus leads some scholars to conclude that they were both the offspring of wealthy provincial families. The province of his birth remains unknown, though various conjectures suggest Gallia Belgica , Gallia Narbonensis , or Northern Italy . His marriage to the daughter of Narbonensian senator Gnaeus Julius Agricola implies that he came from Gallia Narbonensis. Tacitus's dedication to Lucius Fabius Justus in

1584-587: Is the later historian whose work most closely approaches him in style. Tacitus makes use of the official sources of the Roman state: the Acta Senatus (the minutes of the sessions of the Senate) and the Acta Diurna (a collection of the acts of the government and news of the court and capital). He also read collections of emperors' speeches, such as those of Tiberius and Claudius. He is generally seen as

1672-450: Is uncertainty about when Tacitus wrote Dialogus de oratoribus . Many characteristics set it apart from the other works of Tacitus, so that its authenticity has at various times been questioned. It is likely to be early work, indebted to the author's rhetorical training, since its style imitates that of the foremost Roman orator Cicero . It lacks (for example) the incongruities that are typical of his mature historical works. The Dialogus

1760-467: Is well known: inde consilium mihi ... tradere ... sine ira et studio, quorum causas procul habeo. my purpose is ... to relate ... without either anger or zeal, motives from which I am far removed. There has been much scholarly discussion about Tacitus's "neutrality". Throughout his writing, he is preoccupied with the balance of power between the Senate and the emperors , and the increasing corruption of

1848-452: The Dialogus may indicate a connection with Spain, and his friendship with Pliny suggests origins in northern Italy. No evidence exists, however, that Pliny's friends from northern Italy knew Tacitus, nor do Pliny's letters hint that the two men had a common background. Pliny Book 9, Letter 23, reports that when asked whether he was Italian or provincial, he gave an unclear answer and so

SECTION 20

#1732776910267

1936-636: The Agricola , Tacitus asserts that he wishes to speak about the years of Domitian, Nerva and Trajan. In the Histories the scope has changed; Tacitus says that he will deal with the age of Nerva and Trajan at a later time. Instead, he will cover the period from the civil wars of the Year of the Four Emperors and end with the despotism of the Flavians . Only the first four books and twenty-six chapters of

2024-464: The Annals fixes 116 as the terminus post quem of his death, which may have been as late as 125 or even 130. It seems that he survived both Pliny (died c.  113 ) and Trajan (died 117). It remains unknown whether Tacitus had any children. The Augustan History reports that Emperor Marcus Claudius Tacitus (r. 275–276) claimed him for an ancestor and provided for the preservation of his works, but this story may be fraudulent, like much of

2112-540: The Augustan History . Five works ascribed to Tacitus have survived (albeit with gaps), the most substantial of which are the Annals and the Histories . This canon (with approximate dates) consists of: The Annals and the Histories , published separately, were meant to form a single edition of thirty books. Although Tacitus wrote the Histories before the Annals , the events in the Annals precede

2200-579: The Calmont Trail to Bremm through the steepest vineyard in Europe. Before the construction of barrages the Moselle was a popular route for folding kayaks which is why many of the weirs have boat channels. The river is still used today by canoeists , especially during the annual week-long lock closures when no commercial shipping is permitted. In April 2014 the Moselle Trail was opened,

2288-465: The Ciceronian period , where sentences were usually the length of a paragraph and artfully constructed with nested pairs of carefully matched sonorous phrases, this is short and to the point. But it is also very individual. Note the three different ways of saying and in the first line ( -que , et , ac ), and especially the matched second and third lines. They are parallel in sense but not in sound;

2376-520: The Fenni . Tacitus had written a similar, albeit shorter, piece in his Agricola (chapters 10–13). The Agricola (written c.  98 ) recounts the life of Gnaeus Julius Agricola, an eminent Roman general and Tacitus's father-in-law; it also covers, briefly, the geography and ethnography of ancient Britain . As in the Germania , Tacitus favorably contrasts the liberty of the native Britons with

2464-760: The French Government "to initiate, before the establishment of the Common Market , negotiations with the governments concerned in order to achieve a rapid implementation of the canalisation of the Moselle between Thionville and Koblenz . The River was canalised between Metz and Thionville , via a canal opened in 1964 by the Grand Duchess, Charlotte of Luxembourg , the Federal Chancellor of Germany, Konrad Adenauer and their host, Charles de Gaulle , President of France. It

2552-569: The Histories . The second half of book 16 is missing, ending with the events of 66. It is not known whether Tacitus completed the work; he died before he could complete his planned histories of Nerva and Trajan, and no record survives of the work on Augustus and the beginnings of the Roman Empire , with which he had planned to finish his work. The Annals is one of the earliest secular historical records to mention Jesus of Nazareth , which Tacitus does in connection with Nero's persecution of

2640-546: The Histories ; together they form a continuous narrative from the death of Augustus (14) to the death of Domitian (96). Though most has been lost, what remains is an invaluable record of the era. The first half of the Annals survived in a single manuscript from Corvey Abbey in Germany, and the second half in a single manuscript from Monte Cassino in Italy; it is remarkable that they survived at all. In an early chapter of

2728-679: The Moselle valley forms the division between the Eifel and Hunsrück mountain regions. The average flow rate of the Moselle at its mouth is 328 m /s (11,600 cu ft/s), making it the second largest tributary of the Rhine by volume after the Aare (560 m /s; 20,000 cu ft/s) and bigger than the Main and Neckar . The section of the Moselle from the France – Germany – Luxembourg tripoint near Schengen to its confluence with

Wasserbillig - Misplaced Pages Continue

2816-500: The Mosellum offers exhibitions about the migration of fish in the Moselle as well as water ecology, navigation and power generation. With the construction of the visitor and information centre the most modern fish ladder along the Moselle was opened. The Moselle winegrowing region lies along the Moselle with a cultivated area of about 10,540 ha (26,000 acres). The largest part, currently just under 9,000 ha (22,000 acres),

2904-757: The Quaternary period, the Rhenish Massif slowly rose, the meanders of the Moselle were formed between the Trier Valley and the Neuwied Basin . The highest navigable water level (HSW) is 6.95 m (22 ft 10 in) and normal level (NSt) is 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) at the Trier Gauge ( Pegel Trier ). High water : Low water : The Moselle was known to the Romans by

2992-571: The Rhenish Massif , the most striking of which is the Cochemer Krampen between Bremm and Cochem . Also typical are its vineyard terraces. From the tripoint the Moselle marks the entire Saarland–Luxembourg border. The catchment area of the Moselle is 28,286 km (10,921 sq mi) in area. The French part covers 15,360 km (5,930 sq mi), about 54 percent of the entire catchment. The German state of Rhineland-Palatinate has 6,980 km (2,690 sq mi),

3080-636: The Rhine at the Deutsches Eck in Koblenz at a height of 59 m (194 ft) above NHN sea level. The length of the river in France is 313 km (194 mi), for 39 km (24 mi) it forms the border between Germany and Luxembourg, and 208 km (129 mi) is solely within Germany. The Moselle flows through the Lorraine region, west of the Vosges. Further downstream, in Germany,

3168-598: The Roman conquest of Britain ), mainly focusing on his campaign in Britannia ( De vita et moribus Iulii Agricolae ). Tacitus's Histories offers insights into Roman attitudes towards Jews , descriptions of Jewish customs, and context for the First Jewish–Roman War . His Annals are of interest for providing an early account of the persecution of Christians and one of the earliest extra-Biblical references to

3256-632: The Saar near Konz shortly before Trier is in Germany known (geographically incorrectly ) as the Upper Moselle . The section from Trier to Pünderich is the Middle Moselle , the section between Pünderich and its mouth in Koblenz as the Lower Moselle or Terraced Moselle ( Terrassenmosel ). Characteristic of the Middle and Lower Moselle are its wide meanders cut deeply into the highlands of

3344-565: The Saarland 2,569 km (992 sq mi), Luxembourg 2,521 km (973 sq mi), Wallonia in Belgium 767 km (296 sq mi) and North Rhine-Westphalia , 88 km (34 sq mi). The three largest tributaries of the Moselle are, in alphabetical order, the Meurthe , the Saar and the Sauer . The Meurthe was the old upper course of the Moselle, until

3432-518: The crucifixion of Jesus . Details about the personal life of Tacitus are scarce. What little is known comes from scattered hints throughout his work, the letters of his friend and admirer Pliny the Younger , and an inscription found at Mylasa in Caria . Tacitus was born in 56 or 57 to an equestrian family. The place and date of his birth, as well as his praenomen (first name) are not known. In

3520-617: The Christians . Tacitus wrote three works with a more limited scope: Agricola , a biography of his father-in-law, Gnaeus Julius Agricola; the Germania , a monograph on the lands and tribes of barbarian Germania; and the Dialogus , a dialogue on the art of rhetoric. The Germania ( Latin title: De Origine et situ Germanorum ) is an ethnographic work on the Germanic tribes outside the Roman Empire. The Germania fits within

3608-503: The German defenses. The division managed to establish a foothold on the east bank of the river, securing a bridgehead at Dieulouard. With the bridgehead secured, Combat Command A of the 4th Armored Division crossed the Moselle and advanced towards Nancy, encircling the city and cutting off German supply lines. The 80th Division continued its advance, pushing towards the northeast and engaging in fierce combat with German forces. The operations to capture Nancy continued until September 15 when

Wasserbillig - Misplaced Pages Continue

3696-533: The Luxembourg winegrowing region is called Moselle Luxembourgeoise and the French region is called AOC Moselle . Most notable among the wines produced here are Riesling , Elbling , Müller-Thurgau , Kerner , and Auxerrois . The German part of the Moselle is a tourist destination. After the Second World War, France pressed to be able to ply the Moselle with larger ships in order to be able to link

3784-567: The Middle and Lower Moselle. There are also yachting or sports marinas in the following places: Koblenz , Winningen , Brodenbach , Burgen , Löf , Hatzenport , Senheim , Treis , Traben-Trarbach , Kues , Neumagen , Pölich , Schweich , Trier and Konz . The Moselle is linked near Toul via the Canal de la Marne au Rhin with inter alia the Meuse , the Saône and the Rhône . Other canals link

3872-465: The Moselle are: From Trier downstream the Moselle separates the two Central Upland ranges of the Eifel (to the northwest) and the Hunsrück (to the southeast). The Vosges , the present source region of the Moselle, were formed about 50 million years ago. In the Miocene and Pliocene epochs the ancient Moselle ( Urmosel ) was already a tributary of the ancient Rhine ( Ur-Rhein ). When, in

3960-734: The Moselle at its confluence is the Moselotte , which is about 40% greater by volumetric flow and thus represents the main branch of the Moselle system. At its mouth, the Moselle delivers 328 m /s (11,600 cu ft/s) of water into the Rhine after flowing for 544 km (338 mi). Madon , Terrouin , Esch , Rupt de Mad , Orne , Fensch , Gander , Syre , Sauer , Kyll , Salm , Lieser , Alf , Endert , Brohlbach , Elz . Moselotte , Vologne , Meurthe , Seille , Saar , Olewiger Bach , Avelsbach , Ruwer , Feller Bach , Dhron , Ahringsbach , Kautenbach , Lützbach , Flaumbach , Altlayer Bach , Baybach , Ehrbach . Towns along

4048-714: The Moselle valley run the Moselle Wine Route and the Moselle Cycleway, which may be cycled from Metz in France via Trier to Koblenz on the River Rhine , a distance of 311 km (193 mi). Between Koblenz and Trier, large sections run on the trackbed of the old Moselle Valley Railway, far from the noise and fumes of motor vehicles. Every year on the Sunday after Pentecost , the 140 km (87 mi) of road between Schweich and Cochem

4136-436: The Moselle, the majority on towed barges. Upstream freight mainly comprised fuel and ores; downstream the main goods were steel products, gravel and rocks. There is an inland port at Trier , a transshipment site in Zell (Mosel) ; and there are other ports in Mertert , Thionville , Metz and Frouard . In addition to freighters there are also pleasure boats for tourists between the very busy wine villages and small towns of

4224-451: The Roman invasion were famous for their skill in oratory and had been subjugated by Rome. As a young man, Tacitus studied rhetoric in Rome to prepare for a career in law and politics; like Pliny, he may have studied under Quintilian ( c.  35 AD – c.  100 ). In 77 or 78, he married Julia Agricola, daughter of the famous general Agricola . Little is known of their domestic life, save that Tacitus loved hunting and

4312-456: The atrocities which he ordered; with Domitian it was the chief part of our miseries to see and to be seen, to know that our sighs were being recorded... From his seat in the Senate , he became suffect consul in 97 during the reign of Nerva , being the first of his family to do so. During his tenure, he reached the height of his fame as an orator when he delivered the funeral oration for the famous veteran soldier Lucius Verginius Rufus . In

4400-604: The bigger picture, leaving the readers to construct that picture for themselves. Nonetheless, where he does use broad strokes, for example, in the opening paragraphs of the Annals , he uses a few condensed phrases which take the reader to the heart of the story. Tacitus's historical style owes some debt to Sallust . His historiography offers penetrating—often pessimistic—insights into the psychology of power politics, blending straightforward descriptions of events, moral lessons, and tightly focused dramatic accounts. Tacitus's own declaration regarding his approach to history ( Annals I,1)

4488-510: The canal via Breisach. In 1958 work began and by 26 May 1964 the Moselle could be officially opened from Metz to Koblenz as a major waterway for shipping with 14 locks . France extended it by 1979 as far as Neuves-Maisons . With that, 394 km (245 mi) of the Moselle have been upgraded with a total of 28 locks. In the years 1992 to 1999 the navigable channel was deepened from 2.7 m (8 ft 10 in) to 3.0 m (9 ft 10 in), which enables 1,500-tonne freighters to use

SECTION 50

#1732776910267

4576-402: The city was liberated by the combined efforts of the 80th Infantry Division and the 4th Armored Division. The successful crossing of the Moselle River and the capture of Nancy dealt a significant blow to German defenses in northeastern France and further contributed to the Allied advance towards Germany. In the act of 10 April 1952 ratifying the treaty instituted by the ECSC , Article 2 charged

4664-482: The early 1960s, but by the early 2000s there were only just under 100. There has been the opposite trend amongst the established traditional wine estates and more recent vintners with a sound education in oenology and business management, who have increased their business through the reclamation of once renowned, but long forgotten sites. The end of the 20th century saw the rediscovery of the use of special terroir in order to improve quality and value, which has led to

4752-399: The empire. Nonetheless, the image he builds of Tiberius throughout the first six books of the Annals is neither exclusively bleak nor approving: most scholars view the image of Tiberius as predominantly positive in the first books, and predominantly negative after the intrigues of Sejanus . The entrance of Tiberius in the first chapters of the first book is dominated by the hypocrisy of

4840-427: The fifth book survive, covering the year 69 and the first part of 70. The work is believed to have continued up to the death of Domitian on September 18, 96. The fifth book contains—as a prelude to the account of Titus's suppression of the First Jewish–Roman War —a short ethnographic survey of the ancient Jews , and it is an invaluable record of Roman attitudes towards them. The Annals , Tacitus's final work, covers

4928-440: The following year, he wrote and published the Agricola and Germania , foreshadowing the literary endeavors that would occupy him until his death. Afterward, he absented himself from public life, but returned during Trajan 's reign (98–117). In 100, he and his friend Pliny the Younger prosecuted Marius Priscus  [ la ] ( proconsul of Africa) for corruption. Priscus was found guilty and sent into exile; Pliny wrote

5016-432: The frivolous prosecutions which resulted ( Annals , 1.72). Elsewhere ( Annals 4.64–66) he compares Tiberius's public distribution of fire relief to his failure to stop the perversions and abuses of justice which he had begun. Although this kind of insight has earned him praise, he has also been criticized for ignoring the larger context. Tacitus owes most, both in language and in method, to Sallust, and Ammianus Marcellinus

5104-480: The governing classes of Rome as they adjusted to the ever-growing wealth and power of the empire. In Tacitus's view, senators squandered their cultural inheritance—that of free speech —to placate their (rarely benign) emperor. Tacitus noted the increasing dependence of the emperor on the goodwill of his armies. The Julio-Claudians eventually gave way to generals, who followed Julius Caesar (and Sulla and Pompey ) in recognizing that military might could secure them

5192-634: The growing and manufacturing name of "Mosel". For marketing reasons the agricultural authorities of the region have divided it into six winegrowing areas. The wine literature and specialist press, by contrast, divide the region into four areas based on geomorphological, micro-climatic and also historical reasons: The wine industry on the German Moselle has been declining for decades. In 2005, statistics showed there were 10,375 ha (25,640 acres) of vineyard; by 2012 this had fallen to just 8,491 ha (20,980 acres). The vineyards that have fallen fallow are mostly those on extremely steep hillsides. There has been

5280-538: The hatred of tyranny evident in his works. The Agricola , chs. 44 – 45 , is illustrative: Agricola was spared those later years during which Domitian, leaving now no interval or breathing space of time, but, as it were, with one continuous blow, drained the life-blood of the Commonwealth... It was not long before our hands dragged Helvidius to prison, before we gazed on the dying looks of Mauricus and Rusticus , before we were steeped in Senecio 's innocent blood. Even Nero turned his eyes away, and did not gaze upon

5368-415: The historian's mother was a daughter of Aulus Caecina Paetus , suffect consul of 37, and sister of Arria, wife of Thrasea. His father may have been the Cornelius Tacitus who served as procurator of Belgica and Germania ; Pliny the Elder mentions that Cornelius had a son who aged rapidly ( NH 7.76 ), which implies an early death. There is no mention of Tacitus's suffering such a condition, but it

SECTION 60

#1732776910267

5456-419: The history of the Roman Empire from the death of Augustus (14 AD) to the death of Domitian (96 AD), although there are substantial lacunae in the surviving texts. Tacitus's other writings discuss oratory (in dialogue format, see Dialogus de oratoribus ), Germania (in De origine et situ Germanorum ), and the life of his father-in-law, Agricola (the general responsible for much of

5544-506: The imperial system (see Tacitean studies , Black vs. Red Tacitists). His Latin style is highly praised. His style, although it has a grandeur and eloquence (thanks to Tacitus's education in rhetoric), is extremely concise, even epigrammatic —the sentences are rarely flowing or beautiful, but their point is always clear. The style has been both derided as "harsh, unpleasant, and thorny" and praised as "grave, concise, and pithily eloquent". A passage of Annals 1.1 , where Tacitus laments

5632-414: The industrial regions of Lorraine . When, in 1955, the population on the Saar voted to belong to West Germany, France demanded as "compensation" an upgrade of the Moselle. On 27 October 1956 they concluded the Moselle Treaty with Germany and Luxembourg for a canalisation of the Moselle and conceded to Germany in return the extension of the Grand Canal d'Alsace on the Upper Rhine instead of an extension of

5720-477: The land to the north is the Eifel which stretches into Belgium ; to the south lies the Hunsrück . The river flows through a region that was cultivated by the Romans. Today, its hillsides are covered by terraced vineyards where "some of the best Rieslings grow". Many castle ruins sit on the hilltops above wine villages and towns along the slopes. Traben-Trarbach with its art nouveau architecture and Bernkastel-Kues with its traditional market square are two of

5808-458: The latter captured the former upper reaches of the Meuse and took it over. However, the Meuse only delivered a little more water than the Meurthe at its confluence. The Saar is the biggest of all the tributaries (78.2 m /s; 2,760 cu ft/s) as well as the longest (246 km; 153 mi). The Sauer is the largest left-hand tributary and drains the region on either side of the German-Luxembourg border. The largest tributary relative to

5896-454: The letters of Sidonius Apollinaris his name is Gaius , but in the major surviving manuscript of his work his name is given as Publius . One scholar's suggestion of the name Sextus has been largely rejected. Most of the older aristocratic families failed to survive the proscriptions which took place at the end of the Republic , and Tacitus makes it clear that he owed his rank to the Flavian emperors ( Hist. 1.1 ). The claim that he

5984-448: The many tourist attractions on the Moselle river. The name Moselle is derived from the Celtic name form, Mosela , via the Latin Mosella , a diminutive form of Mosa , the Latin description of the Meuse , which used to flow parallel to the Moselle. So the Mosella was the "Little Meuse". The Moselle is first recorded by Tacitus in Book 13 of his Annals and in Book 4 of his Histories . The Roman poet Ausonius made it

6072-434: The motives of the characters, often with penetrating insight—though it is questionable how much of his insight is correct, and how much is convincing only because of his rhetorical skill. He is at his best when exposing hypocrisy and dissimulation; for example, he follows a narrative recounting Tiberius's refusal of the title pater patriae by recalling the institution of a law forbidding any "treasonous" speech or writings—and

6160-400: The name of Flumen Musalla (in the Tabula Peutingeriana ), and the river was romanticised by the poet Ausonius around 371. From 1815, the Moselle formed the border between the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and Prussia ( German Empire in 1871). During World War II the Moselle was a barrier as the Allies advanced toward Berlin. In September 1944, the American Third Army in France mounted

6248-493: The new emperor and his courtiers. In the later books, some respect is evident for the cleverness of the old emperor in securing his position. In general, Tacitus does not fear to praise and to criticize the same person, often noting what he takes to be their more admirable and less admirable properties. One of Tacitus's hallmarks is refraining from conclusively taking sides for or against persons he describes, which has led some to interpret his works as both supporting and rejecting

6336-536: The outdoors. He started his career (probably the latus clavus , mark of the senator) under Vespasian (r. 69–79), but entered political life as a quaestor in 81 or 82 under Titus . He advanced steadily through the cursus honorum , becoming praetor in 88 and a quindecimvir , a member of the priestly college in charge of the Sibylline Books and the Secular Games . He gained acclaim as

6424-517: The pairs of words ending " -entibus … -is " are crossed over in a way that deliberately breaks the Ciceronian conventions—which one would, however, need to be acquainted with to see the novelty of Tacitus's style. Some readers, then and now, find this teasing of their expectations merely irritating. Others find the deliberate discord, playing against the evident parallelism of the two lines, stimulating and intriguing. His historical works focus on

6512-515: The period from the death of Augustus in AD ;14. He wrote at least sixteen books, but books 7–10 and parts of books 5, 6, 11, and 16 are missing. Book 6 ends with the death of Tiberius , and books 7–12 presumably covered the reigns of Caligula and Claudius . The remaining books cover the reign of Nero, perhaps until his death in June 68 or until the end of that year to connect with

6600-524: The political power in Rome. ( Hist. 1.4 ) Welcome as the death of Nero had been in the first burst of joy, yet it had not only roused various emotions in Rome, among the Senators, the people, or the soldiery of the capital, it had also excited all the legions and their generals; for now had been divulged that secret of the empire, that emperors could be made elsewhere than at Rome. Tacitus's political career

6688-522: The river and in the valley of the Moselle, thanks to the policies of their Roman rulers. The river subsequently gave its name to two French republican départements : Moselle and Meurthe-et-Moselle . The source of the Moselle is at 715 m (2,346 ft) above sea level on the Col de Bussang on the western slopes of the Ballon d'Alsace in the Vosges . After 544 km (338 mi) it discharges into

6776-590: The river to the North Sea and even the Mediterranean . There is a total of 28 changes of level on the Moselle: With the exception of Detzem, all the structures at each change in level are laid-out side by side; the lock is by one riverbank, the weir in the middle and the hydropower plant on the other bank. Between the lock and weir are a boat slipway and channel and boat lock, while between

6864-508: The river, a 20% increase in capacity. The channel has a width of 40 m (130 ft), more on the bends. The Moselle Commission , founded in 1962 with its head office in Trier, is responsible for navigation. The Moselle Shipping Police Act which it has produced is valid in all three participant states from Metz to Koblenz. In 1921 the Moselle (Mo) became a Reich waterway, today it is a federal waterway ( Bundeswasserstraße ) from Apach at

6952-747: The state of the historiography regarding the last four emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty , illustrates his style: "The histories of Tiberius, Gaius, Claudius and Nero, while they were in power, were falsified through terror and after their death were written under the irritation of a recent hatred", or in a word-for-word translation: Tiberiī Gāīque et Claudiī ac Nerōnis rēs flōrentibus ipsīs—ob metum—falsae, postquam occiderant—recentibus ōdiīs—compositae sunt. Tiberius's, Gaius's and Claudius's as well as Nero's acts while flourishing themselves—out of fear—counterfeited, after they came to fall—resulting from new-found hate—related are. Compared to

7040-627: The town in 1937, who served as Luxembourg 's Prime Minister and as President of the European Commission . The town's railway station is on the line between Luxemburg City and the German border , connecting east to Trier. 49°43′N 6°30′E  /  49.717°N 6.500°E  / 49.717; 6.500 Moselle The Moselle ( / m oʊ ˈ z ɛ l / moh- ZEL , French: [mɔzɛl] ; German : Mosel [ˈmoːzl̩] ; Luxembourgish : Musel [ˈmuzəl] )

7128-400: The tripoint to its mouth on the Rhine at kilometre point 592.29 in Koblenz. The waterway is 242 km (150 mi) long and managed by the Trier and Koblenz Water and Shipping Offices ( Wasser- und Schifffahrtsämtern Trier und Koblenz ). It is categorized as a European waterway of Class Vb. Its kilometrage begins at its mouth at kilometre point 0 and runs upstream. Since 1816 it has formed

7216-511: The tyranny and corruption of the Empire; the book also contains eloquent polemics against the greed of Rome, one of which, that Tacitus claims is from a speech by Calgacus , ends by asserting, Auferre trucidare rapere falsis nominibus imperium, atque ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant. ("To ravage, to slaughter, to usurp under false titles, they call empire; and where they make a desert, they call it peace."—Oxford Revised Translation). There

7304-575: The weir and the power station is the fish ladder . The structures have been blended into the landscape through their low-level design; this was achieved by the choice of sector gates for the weir, vertically lowering upper gates and mitred lower lock gates. The water levels and hydropower works are controlled by the Fankel Central Control Station ( Zentralwarte Fankel ) of the RWE Power Company at Fankel . Through

7392-472: Was a Roman historian and politician. Tacitus is widely regarded as one of the greatest Roman historians by modern scholars. The surviving portions of his two major works—the Annals (Latin: Annales ) and the Histories (Latin: Historiae )—examine the reigns of the emperors Tiberius , Claudius , Nero , and those who reigned in the Year of the Four Emperors (69 AD). These two works span

7480-439: Was already a town where Wasserbillig is situated which the Roman named Biliacum. This is also where the second part of Wasserbillig's name comes from (- billig from Biliacum ). It was mainly a transloading harbour for goods coming down the Sauer or by cart. During the construction of the bridge over the Sauer in 1952, remnants of an old Roman bridge were found. Prominent citizens of Wasserbillig include Jacques Santer , born in

7568-452: Was asked whether he was Tacitus or Pliny. Since Pliny was from Italy, some infer that Tacitus was from the provinces, probably Gallia Narbonensis. His ancestry, his skill in oratory, and his sympathetic depiction of barbarians who resisted Roman rule (e.g., Ann. 2.9 ) have led some to suggest that he was a Celt . This belief stems from the fact that the Celts who had occupied Gaul prior to

7656-589: Was descended from a freedman is derived from a speech in his writings which asserts that many senators and knights were descended from freedmen ( Ann. 13.27 ), but this is generally disputed. In his article on Tacitus in Pauly-Wissowa , I. Borzsak had conjectured that the historian was related to Thrasea Paetus and Etruscan family of Caecinii , about whom he spoke very highly. Furthermore, some later Caecinii bore cognomen Tacitus, which also could indicate some sort of relationship. It had been suggested that

7744-412: Was largely lived out under the emperor Domitian. His experience of the tyranny, corruption, and decadence of that era (81–96) may explain the bitterness and irony of his political analysis. He draws our attention to the dangers of power without accountability, love of power untempered by principle, and the apathy and corruption engendered by the concentration of wealth generated through trade and conquest by

#266733