Ammianus Marcellinus
Ammianus Marcellinus | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 330 Roman Syria, possibly in Antioch |
| Died | c. 391–400 |
| Nationality | Roman |
| Occupation(s) | Historian and soldier |
| Notable work | Res gestae |
Ammianus Marcellinus (born c. 330, died c. 391–400) was a Roman soldier and historian. He wrote historical records from Ancient history until now. His work Res Gestae tells the history of Rome from the reign of Emperor Nerva in 96 to the death of Valens at the Battle of Adrianople in 378. However, today only the part covering the years 353–378 still exists.
Evaluation
[change | change source]
Edward Gibbon described Ammianus as “an accurate and faithful guide,” who wrote about his own time without strong bias or passion, which often influenced people of his age."[1] However, Gibbon also criticized Ammianus for his rough writing style. He said that Ammianus used a crude and plain pen to describe violent characters in a dull and unpleasant way.[1] The Austrian historian Ernst Stein praised Ammianus as “the greatest literary genius produced by the world between the times of Tacitus and Dante.”.[2]
According to Kimberly Kagan, in his descriptions of battles, Ammianus focused mainly on the experiences of soldiers and did not explain the wider background. As a result, readers may find it hard to understand why the battles ended as they did.[3]
Ammianus’s work also includes a detailed description of a tsunami that destroyed the city of Alexandria and the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea on July 21, 365. His account accurately describes typical effects of an earthquake, including the sea pulling back and a sudden tsunami rushing in.[4]
References
[change | change source]- 1 2 Gibbon 1995.
- ↑ Stein 1928.
- ↑ Kagan 2009.
- ↑ Kelly 2004.
Sources
[change | change source]- Gibbon, Edward (1995). Bury, J.B. (ed.). Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Vol. I. Random House Inc. ISBN 978-0-679-60148-7.
- Kelly, G. (2004). "Ammianus and the Great Tsunami". The Journal of Roman Studies. 94. Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies: 141–167. doi:10.2307/4135013. JSTOR 4135013.
- Kagan, Kimberly (2009). The Eye of Command. The University of Michigan Press.
- Stein, E. (1928). Geschichte des spätrömischen Reiches (in German). Vienna.
This short article about a person or group of people can be made longer. You can help Wikipedia by adding to it.
