Abstract: Roman poets in the Augustan era were already faced with a literary order the complexity of which was almost modern, composed of the state, the public, patrons and friends. The prevalence of literary patronage compelled poets to negotiate between art and political power, whereas a well-developed mechanism of publication, transmission and book trade exerted pressure on them in terms of tastes and fashions. Horace's success lay in his ability to outmaneuver the system through ingenious strategies, whereby instead of falling victim to it, he managed to shape the course of Roman poetry.

Key words: Roman poetry, literary order, patronage, literary circulation