Eutropius
Encyclopedia
Flavius Eutropius was an Ancient Roman historian who flourished in the latter half of the 4th century. He held the office of secretary (magister memoriae) at Constantinople
, accompanied the Emperor Julian
(361
–363
) on his expedition against the Persians (363), and was alive during the reign of Valens
(364–378), to whom he dedicates his Breviarium historiae Romanae and where his history ends.
The Breviarium historiae Romanae is a complete compendium, in ten books, of Roman history from the foundation of the city to the accession of Valens. It was compiled with considerable care from the best accessible authorities, and is written generally with impartiality, and in a clear and simple style. Although the Latin in some instances differs from that of the purest models, the work was for a long time a favorite elementary school-book. Its independent value is small, but it sometimes fills a gap left by the more authoritative records. For the early parts of his work, Eutropius depended upon an epitome of Livy
; for the later parts, he used the now lost Enmannsche Kaisergeschichte
. The Breviarium was enlarged and continued down to the time of Justinian by Paulus Diaconus; the work of the latter was in turn enlarged by Landolfus Sagax
(c. 1000), and taken down to the time of the emperor Leo the Armenian
(813–820) in the Historia Miscella.
Of the Greek translations by Paeanius
(around 380) and Capito Lycius (6th century), the version of the former is extant in an almost complete state. The best edition of Eutropius is by H. Droysen (1879), containing the Greek version and the enlarged editions of Paulus Diaconus and Landolfus. There are numerous English editions and translations.
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, accompanied the Emperor Julian
Julian the Apostate
Julian "the Apostate" , commonly known as Julian, or also Julian the Philosopher, was Roman Emperor from 361 to 363 and a noted philosopher and Greek writer....
(361
361
Year 361 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Taurus and Florentius...
–363
363
Year 363 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Iulianus and Sallustius...
) on his expedition against the Persians (363), and was alive during the reign of Valens
Valens
Valens was the Eastern Roman Emperor from 364 to 378. He was given the eastern half of the empire by his brother Valentinian I after the latter's accession to the throne...
(364–378), to whom he dedicates his Breviarium historiae Romanae and where his history ends.
The Breviarium historiae Romanae is a complete compendium, in ten books, of Roman history from the foundation of the city to the accession of Valens. It was compiled with considerable care from the best accessible authorities, and is written generally with impartiality, and in a clear and simple style. Although the Latin in some instances differs from that of the purest models, the work was for a long time a favorite elementary school-book. Its independent value is small, but it sometimes fills a gap left by the more authoritative records. For the early parts of his work, Eutropius depended upon an epitome of Livy
Livy
Titus Livius — known as Livy in English — was a Roman historian who wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people. Ab Urbe Condita Libri, "Chapters from the Foundation of the City," covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome well before the traditional foundation in 753 BC...
; for the later parts, he used the now lost Enmannsche Kaisergeschichte
Enmannsche Kaisergeschichte
The Enmannsche Kaisergeschichte is a modern term for a hypothesized Latin historical work, written in the 4th century but now lost....
. The Breviarium was enlarged and continued down to the time of Justinian by Paulus Diaconus; the work of the latter was in turn enlarged by Landolfus Sagax
Landolfus Sagax
Landolfus Sagax or Landolfo Sagace was a Lombard historian who wrote a Historia Romana in the last quarter of the tenth century or beginning of the eleventh....
(c. 1000), and taken down to the time of the emperor Leo the Armenian
Leo V the Armenian
Leo V the Armenian was emperor of the Byzantine Empire from 813 to 820. A senior general, he forced his predecessor, Michael I Rangabe, to abdicate and assumed the throne. He ended the decade-long war with the Bulgars, and initiated the second period of Byzantine Iconoclasm...
(813–820) in the Historia Miscella.
Of the Greek translations by Paeanius
Paeanius
Paeanius was a late Roman Empire historian, author of a translation into Greek language of the Latin Breviarium historiae Romanae, the historical work of Eutropius....
(around 380) and Capito Lycius (6th century), the version of the former is extant in an almost complete state. The best edition of Eutropius is by H. Droysen (1879), containing the Greek version and the enlarged editions of Paulus Diaconus and Landolfus. There are numerous English editions and translations.
External links
- Eutropius, Abridgement of Roman History, John Selby Watson (translator), (1853) (from Forum Romanum; both Latin text and English translation)
- Eutropius, Abridgement of Roman History, John Selby Watson (translator), (1886) (from The Tertullian Project; only English translation)
- Eutropius, Eutropii Breviarium (from The Latin LibraryThe Latin LibraryThe Latin Library is a website that collects public domain Latin texts. The texts have been drawn from different sources. Many were originally scanned and formatted from texts in the Public Domain. Others have been downloaded from various sites on the Internet . Most of the recent texts have been...
; only Latin text) - Eutropius, Eutropi Breviarium ab urbe condita cum versionibus graecis et Pauli Landolfique additamentis, Ed. Droysen, Hans. (from Monumenta Germaniae Historica Digital; Image files include the preface, Greek and Latin text, critical apparatus, appendices and indices