After retiring from a successful military career, he wrote a history of the roman empire 1 as a sequel to that of tacitus, his model. In early times, when these regions lay in darkness as savage, they are thought to have been threefold, 1 divided into celts the same as the gauls, the aquitanians, and the belgians, differing in language, habits and laws. By order of constantius augustus an obelisk is set up at rome in the circus maximus. The following was written only about a generation before alaric plundered rome in 410 ce. Ammianus marcellinus was a roman soldier and historian who wrote the penultimate major historical account surviving from antiquity. During these first steps towards the rehabilitation of gaul, and while orutus was still conducting his second prefecture, an obelisk was set up at. Soldier though he was, he includes economic and social affairs. Pope marcellinus was the bishop of rome from 30 june 296 to his death in 304. The first thirteen of his thirtyone books are lost.
The roman history of ammianus marcellinus, during the reigns of the emperors constantius, julian, jovianus, valentinian, and valens london. Rolfes translation is fine, and you can always look over on the latin side and translate the word yourself. Both the latin and english pages are clear and easy to read. Post emensos insuperabilis expeditionis eventus, languentibus partium animis, quas periculorum varietas fregerat et laborum, nondum tubarum cessante clangore, vel milite locato per stationes hibernas, fortunae saevientis procellae tempestates alias rebus infudere 2 communibus, per multa illa et dira facinora caesaris galli, qui. The turningpoint in its history was the disastrous defeat of valens by the goths at adrianople in 378, in which the emperor himself met his death, and at that date our direct knowledge of ammianus comes to an end. The solidity of the earth was made to shake and the sea was. Notes on the text note on officials and their titles notes on personsdates of emperors geographical key maps general map monuments of rome map a.
Ammianus marcellinus, who observed rome on a visit, saw the city as full of emptiness, shallowness, and as lacking of all real culture. The best contemporary source of information about britain in the late fourth century is the lateimperial historian ammianus marcellinus. Of these 31 books only 1431 353378 ce survive, a remarkably accurate and impartial record of his own times. Though he was born in antioch, syria to a wealthy syrian greek family, ammianus wrote in latin. Ammianus marcellinuss most popular book is the later roman empire a. Nearly all the gauls are of a lofty stature, white, and of ruddy complexion. Julian crosses the rhine and plunders and burns the towns of the allemanni, repairs the fortress of trajan, and grants the barbarians a truce for ten months. Ammianus marcellinus, with an english translation by john c. Marcellinus, pope probably from 291296 to 304, although the dates of his reign are uncertain. Immediately download the ammianus marcellinus summary, chapterbychapter analysis, book notes, essays, quotes, character descriptions, lesson plans, and more everything you need for studying or teaching ammianus marcellinus. The following volumes, two books 2026, loeb 315 and three books 2731, loeb 331, also extensively document the period spanning from ad 360378. Centre of learning in the ancient world, london and new york, i. This is an exlibrary book and may have the usual libraryused book markings inside.
He wrote the penultimate major historical account surviving from antiquity the last was written by procopius. While the variable events of fortune were bringing to pass these events in different parts of the world, julian, amid the many plans which he was revolving while in illyricum, was continually consulting the entrails of victims and watching the flight of birds in his eagerness to know the result of what was about to happen. From fear of constantius julian halts in dacia, and secretly consults the augurs and soothsayers. This loeb volume covers books 20 26 in ammianus marcellinus history. Please note the image in this listing is a stock photo and may not match the covers of the actual item,350grams, isbn. Mar 30, 2019 genealogy for antonius marcellinus 315 d. Now, ammianus marcellinus is the primary source for this era. Marcellinus magister militum died 468, a roman general in the invasion of africa against geiseric marcellinus writer, author of a life of thucydides, 6th century marcus egnatius marcellinus, a senator of imperial rome, consul suffectus in 116. Now then, since, as the sublime poet of mantua has sung, a greater series of incident rises to my view.
When he hears of constantiuss death he passes through thrace, and enters constantinople, which he finds quiet. Ammianus marcellinus, historian who provides important information on the sasanians. Ammianus marcellinus 325 x 330 after 391 was a fourthcentury roman soldier and historian. Damasus says that he heard the story of these two martyrs from their executioner who became a christian after their deaths. He may have become an apostate during the persecution but supposedly repented and was martyred.
Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Marcellinus, a priest, and peter, an exorcist, died in the year 304. Historian ammianus marcellinus documented the devastating effects of a tsunami hitting alexandria, egypt, on july 21, ad 365. There is an illustration of siege engines to accompany the authors digression in book 23. View ammianus marcellinus research papers on academia. Books by ammianus marcellinus goodreads share book. A wikipedia article about this author is available ammianus marcellinus. Rolfes complete translation of the surviving books of the res gestae of ammianus marcellinus, originally published in 193540 as three volumes of the bilingual loeb classical library. Walter hamilton translated platos symposium, the gorgias, phaedrus and letters vii and viii for penguin classics.
His pontificate saw a long tranquil period terminated by a bloody persecution of christians under diocletian. Born of genteel extraction in a greekspeaking part of the empire, ammianus served in the army in campaigns ranging form gaul to persia before settling in rome and beginning his literary carreer. We would like to show you a description here but the site wont allow us. Book 14 book 15 book 16 book 17 book 18 book 19 book 20 book 21 book 22 book 23 book 24 book 25 book 26 book 27 book 28 book 29 book 30 book 31.
Ammianus was born of a noble greek family and served in the army of constantius ii in gaul and persia under the general ursicinus, who was dismissed after he allowed the persians to. After the various affairs which we have described were brought to a conclusion, the warlike young prince, now that the battle of strasburg had secured him the navigation of the rhine, felt anxious that the illomened 124 birds should not feed on the corpses of the slain, and so ordered them all to be buried without distinction. Ammianus marcellinus project gutenberg selfpublishing. A brief description of the various parts of gaul and of the course of the rhone. Ammianus marcellinus was the last great roman historian, and his writings rank alongside those of livy and tacitus. His work, known as the res gestae, chronicled in latin the history of rome from the accession of the emperor nerva in 96 to the death of valens at the battle of adrianople in 378, although only the sections covering the period 353378 survive. The later roman empire chronicles a period of twentyfive years during marcellinus own lifetime, covering the reigns of constantius, julian, jovian, valentinian i, and valens, and providing eyewitness accounts of significant military events including the battle of strasbourg.
Mediterranean megaturbidite triggered by the ad 365 crete. An original article from history today magazine, 1975. Ammianus marcellinus, last major roman historian, whose work continued the history of the later roman empire to 378. Ammianus marcellinus, history loeb classical library. Ammianus marcellinus was the last great roman historian, continuing the histories of tacitus from ad 96 down to his own day. Andrew wallacehadrill is professor of classics at reading university. He may have renounced christianity during emperor diocletians persecution of christians before repenting afterwards, which would explain why he is omitted from lists of martyrs. After the survival of the events of an unendurable campaign, 1 when the spirits of both parties, broken by the variety of their dangers and hardships, were still drooping, before the blare of the trumpets had ceased or the soldiers been assigned to their winter quarters, the gusts of raging fortune brought new storms upon the commonwealth through the misdeeds, many and notorious, of gallus caesar. Apr 22, 2009 free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Ammianus marcellinus, rerum gestarum, book xv, chapter 11. Ammianus marcellinus has 65 books on goodreads with 4002 ratings. He was broadminded towards nonromans and towards christianity.
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