Lucan

The Roman poet Lucan is named, in Latin, Marcus Annaeus Lucanus, and is one of the outstanding figures of the Silver Latin[?] period.

Lucan was born in Cordoba in present-day Spain, in the year 39 AD, and was the nephew of Seneca the Younger. He prospered under Nero, and his epic poem, Pharsalia, which was the story of the civil war between Julius Caesar and Pompey, was much acclaimed. However, he soon fell out of favour, and was lured into the conspiracy of Piso. His treason having been discovered, he was obliged to commit suicide by opening a vein, and died in 65 AD.