Ammianus Marcellinus

Ammianus Marcellinus

▪ Roman historian
born c. 330, Antioch, Syria [now Antakya, Tur.]
died 395, Rome [Italy]

      last major Roman historian, whose work continued the history (historiography) of the later Roman Empire to 378.

      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 capture the city of Amida (now Diyarbakır, Tur.) in 359. Ammianus fought against the Persians under the emperor Julian and took part in the retreat of his successor, Jovian. Leaving the army at Antioch, he traveled to Egypt and Greece, eventually settling in Rome. There he wrote his history of the Roman Empire, in Latin, from the accession of Nerva to the death of Valens, beginning where Tacitus's Historiae (Histories) ends.

      Ammianus's history, Rerum gestarum libri (“The Chronicles of Events”), consisted of 31 books, of which only the last 18, covering the years 353–378, survive. The first 13 books were already unavailable to scholars in the 6th century. (In light of the need for 18 books to cover 26 years, the first 13 must have been relatively sparse in their account of the period from 98 through 352.) The surviving books give a clear, comprehensive account of events by a writer of soldierly qualities, independent judgment, and wide reading. Drawing upon his own experience, Ammianus supplies vivid pictures of the empire's economic and social problems. His accounts are especially full and sympathetic toward his commanders, Ursicinus and Julian, and many readers have seen Julian as the hero of the work. Ammianus admired Julian as a man, a soldier, and a leader; yet, although they were both pagans, he criticized Julian's religious policies. His judgment in political affairs was limited only by his own straightforward attitude. He used the regular techniques of later Roman historiography—rhetoric in his speeches, ethnographical digressions in descriptions, such as that of the culture of the Huns, and biographical conventions in character sketches along with fondness for literary allusion, overabundant metaphor, and much ornament. Although Ammianus was clearly influenced by Tacitus's Historiae, Cicero (Cicero, Marcus Tullius) is the Latin author he quotes and refers to most often.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Ammianus Marcellinus — (English /ˌæmi eɪnəs ˌmɑ(r)sɛl aɪnəs/) (325/330–after 391) was a fourth century Roman historian. He wrote the penultimate major historical account surviving from Antiquity (the last was written by Procopius). His work chronicled in Latin the… …   Wikipedia

  • Ammianus Marcellinus — Ammianus Marcellinus,   römischer Geschichtsschreiber, * Antiochia (Syrien) um 330, ✝ um 395; Offizier und Anhänger von Kaiser Julian; schrieb Ende des 4. Jahrhunderts, zeitlich an Tacitus anknüpfend, in 31 Büchern eine Geschichte des Römischen… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • AMMIANUS MARCELLINUS° — (c. 330–400), last of the great Latin pagan historians of antiquity. He speaks of Jews in four separate passages of his history. The first refers to Pompey s conquest of Jerusalem (14, 8:11–12); in the second he quotes the disparaging remarks of… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Ammiānus Marcellīnus — Ammiānus Marcellīnus, aus Antiochia, lebte im 4. Jahrh. nach Chr., machte unter der kaiserlichen Leibwache einen Feldzug nach Gallien u. Germanien, dann unter Kaiser Julian gegen die Perser mit, lebte später in Rom u. st. nach 390 daselbst. Er… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Ammiānus Marcellīnus — Ammiānus Marcellīnus, röm. Geschichtschreiber, um 330–400 n. Chr., ein Grieche von Antiochia in Syrien, nahm Kriegsdienste, focht unter Julian gegen die Alemannen und Perser, verfaßte in Rom um 390 seine lateinisch geschriebene Fortsetzung des… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Ammianus Marcellinus — Ammiānus Marcellīnus, röm. Geschichtschreiber, geb. um 330 zu Antiochia, gest. um 400 zu Rom; schrieb eine Geschichte des röm. Staates (Fortsetzung des Tacitus) von 96 378 n. Chr. in 31 Büchern, von denen die 13 ersten (bis 352) verloren sind; hg …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Ammianus Marcellinus — Ammianus Marcellinus, aus Antiochia, gest. um 400 v. Chr., studirte zuerst, that dann unter Constantius und Julian gegen Perser und Germanen Kriegsdienste u. zog sich später nach Rom zurück. Hier schrieb er die röm. Geschichte von Nerva bis… …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • AMMIANUS Marcellinus — Historiucus Latinô Graecus natione Antiochiâ oriundus, floruit sub Gratiano, et Valentiniano, scripsit libros 31. ex quibus 13. priores deperierung. Cuius fuerit nationis, et quâ professione, unde item historiam coeperit, et quousque sit… …   Hofmann J. Lexicon universale

  • Ammianus Marcellinus — Titelseite der Ammianus Ausgabe des Accursius (Augsburg 1533) Ammianus Marcellinus (* um 330 in Antiochia am Orontes, Syrien; † um 395 [spätestens um 400] wahrscheinlich in Rom) war ein römischer Historiker. Er ist neben Prokopios von Caesarea… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Ammianus Marcellinus — (c. 330 395)    Last important pagan historian of Rome, and the first to write a major history since Tacitus (c. 56 c. 120). Although nearly half of his work, the Res gestae (Deeds done), has been lost, Ammianus remains one of the most important… …   Encyclopedia of Barbarian Europe

  • Ammianus Marcellinus — Ammien Marcellin Ammien Marcellin (Ammianus Marcellinus, né vers 330 335 à Antioche mort autour de 395 (et avant 400) probablement à Rome) fut l un des plus importants historiens de l Antiquité tardive. Bien que d origine grecque, il a écrit en… …   Wikipédia en Français

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”