Ammianus Marcellinus

The Roman History of Ammianus Marcellinus (eBook, ePUB)

• Format: ePub

Produktbeschreibung

The Roman History of Ammianus Marcellinus by Ammianus Marcellinus; Translated by C. D. Yonge. Ammianus Marcellinus (325/330–after 391) was a fourth-century Roman soldier and historian. History during the Reigns of the Emperors Constantius, Julian, Jovianus, Valentinian, and Valens.Of Ammianus Marcellinus, the writer of the following History, we know very little more than what can be collected from that portion of it which remains to us. From that source we learn that he was a native of Antioch, and a soldier; being one of the prefectores domestici—the body-guard of the emperor, into which none but men of noble birth were admitted. He was on the staff of Ursicinus, whom he attended in several of his expeditions; and he bore a share in the campaigns which Julian made against the Persians. After that time he never mentions himself, and we are ignorant when he quitted the service and retired to Rome, in which city he composed his History. We know not when he was born, or when he died, except that from one or two incidental passages in his work it is plain that he lived nearly to the end of the fourth century: and it is even uncertain whether he was a Christian or a Pagan; though the general belief is, that he adhered to the religion of the ancient Romans, without, however, permitting it to lead him even to speak disrespectfully of Christians or Christianity.His History, which he divided into thirty-one books (of which the first thirteen are lost, while the text of those which remain is in some places imperfect), began with the accession of Nerva, A.D. 96, where Tacitus and Suetonius end, and was continued to the death of Valens, A.D. 378, a period of 282 years.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: BookRix
• Erscheinungstermin: 23. Mai 2014
• Englisch
• ISBN-13: 9783736813731
• Artikelnr.: 54684534

Autorenporträt

Ammianus Marcellinus, the esteemed ancient historian, is best known for his work 'Res Gestae,' commonly referred to in English as 'The Roman History.' His comprehensive account serves as a significant historical source for the period from the reign of the Emperor Nerva in 96 AD to the death of the Emperor Valens at the Battle of Adrianople in 378 AD, although only the books covering the events from 353 to 378 AD survive. Born between 330 and 335 AD, likely in Antioch on the Orontes, Marcellinus positioned himself as a participant-observer, as he was a former soldier in the Roman army. This status provided him with the insight and firsthand experiences that informed his work. His writing, intrinsically detailed and vibrant, offers an invaluable perspective on the political, military, and social facets of the late Roman Empire, albeit with the considered bias of a traditional Roman aristocrat. Marcellinus' literary style, complex and often challenging due to his adherence to classical Latin in an age of linguistic transition, reveals a depth of education and carries a distinct rhetorical flair, reflective of the historiographical methods of his time (Matthews, 1989). His work remains an essential reference point for scholars studying the late Roman Empire, providing both a chronicle of events and a rich cultural and ideological tapestry of the era in which he lived.