Quintus Sulpicius Maximus – poet of great talent who ended tragically
The tombstone of the young poet Quintus Sulpicius Maximus
Quintus Sulpicius Maximus is an extraordinary figure from ancient Rome whose story is both inspiring and tragic. In 94 CE a young boy, only eleven years old, amazed Rome with his enormous knowledge and poetic talent, taking part in a prestigious literary competition organized by the emperor Domitian himself (reigned 81-96 CE). His interesting works, written in Greek, were full of maturity and beauty, which aroused admiration even among the most important intellectuals of the time.
Although Quintus achieved fame, his life ended tragically just a few months after the competition, probably due to exhaustion caused by the intense work on his poetry. His epitaph, located on a marble stele in Rome, remains a moving testimony to the brilliant but short life of a boy whose talent had no chance to fully blossom.
Mary Beard, an English historian, suspects that the boy may have been “forced” by his parents to work excessively on his workshop, due to the likely high income he provided for the household.
