Ovid

Ovid was born Publius Ovidius Naso into a family of the equestrian, or middle, class in Sulmo near Rome. Although he went to law school in Rome, he spent of his time writing.  After inheriting his father's property, Ovid went to Athens to complete his education. He later traveled in Asia and Sicily with a friend who was a Roman poet. By the age of 30, Ovid had been married three times and divorced twice, and he may have carried on an intimate relationship with the woman he wrote about in his poetry as Corinna. At Rome, where he lived until he was 50 years old, he was looked upon as an intellect and a high respected individual. In AD 8, Ovid was banished to Tomi. According to Ovid, one reason for his banishment was the publication of Ars Amatoria, a poem on the art of love. More probably the poem, which had been in circulation for almost ten years, served merely as an excuse to expel him. A second reason may have been his knowledge of a scandal involving the emperor's daughter, Julia. Ovid did not lose his citizenship and never gave up hope of returning to Rome, as revealed in the many poems written to his friends during his exile at Tomi, but his requests and those of his friends were unsuccessful. Ovid died at Tomi, an honored citizen of the town.