李维以其巨著《建城以来史》闻名于世,此书始于罗马建城,终于奥古斯都时期。共和国后期,大规模的领土扩张致使罗马社会发生了许多根本性的改变,罗马传统的道德风尚出现了明显衰退现象。道德是史学家诠释罗马历史的重要因素。李维将罗马过去的胜利和强大归因于罗马的传统美德,因而他以道德为主线构建罗马历史。他爱国主义和道德教化的著史动机使他致力于赞颂罗马先民的英雄业绩,激发读者的爱国热忱,劝诫罗马人避恶扬善。 Li Wei is famous for his masterpiece The History of the City since its founding, beginning with the founding of Rome and finally the Augustus period. In the latter part of the republic, large-scale territorial expansion led to many radical changes in Roman society. The traditional ethos of Rome showed a marked decline. Ethics is an important factor for historians to interpret the history of Rome. Li Wei attributed Rome’s past triumph and power to the traditional Roman virtues, and thus constructed Roman history on the basis of morality. His historical motives for patriotism and moral enlightenment made him devoted to praising the heroic achievements of Roman ancestors, arousing readers’ patriotic enthusiasm and exhorting the Romans to evade evil and promoting good.