In twenty-three chapters, containing the annals of the Roman race, from Janus and Saturnus down to the era of Romulus. We here find many curious tales and traditions derived apparently from ancient sources, and it may be regarded as a valuable contribution towards the legendary history of the city. Joannes Metellus, Ausonius Popma, and others, have assigned this tract to Asconius Pedianus, influenced chiefly by some expressions in which they conceived that the author spoke of Livy and Virgil as his contemporaries, but the passages in which these occur (23.7, 3.7, 7.4), do not fairly admit of any such interpretation, while the general tone of the phraseology certainly bears no resemblance to that of the Augustan age. On the other hand, it seems certain, from the total dissimilarity in style, that it cannot have proceeded from the same hand with the two pieces which we shall next describe ; and for this and other reasons Arntzenius has pronounced it to be the production of some of the later grammarians who were desirous of prefixing a suitable introduction to the series.

In eighty-six chapters, commencing with the birth of the twin sons of Mars and Ilia, and concluding with the death of Cleopatra. The whole, or nearly the whole of the MSS. attach the name of Plinius to this piece : by some scholars it has been given to Cornelius Nepos, by others to Aemilius Probus. The numerous mistakes with which it abounds forbid us to fix upon any one belonging to the brighter epochs of Roman literature.

In forty-two chapters, exhibiting short biographies of the emperors, from Augustus to Constantius. This, as we have stated, may reasonably be regarded as the work of Sex. Aurelius Victor, who was praefect of the city under Theodosius.

Or as it is frequently styled , in forty-eight chapters, commencing with Augustus and concluding with Theodosius. These lives agree for the most part almost word for word with the preceding, but variations may here and there be detected, some points being lightly passed over. or altogether omitted, in the one collection, which are dwelt upon at considerable length in the other. This will be seen clearly by comparing the sections in each on Nerva and Hadrian. Moreover. it will be remarked, that while the first series terminates with Constantius, the second comes down as low as Arcadius and Honorius. All the MSS. are inscribed with the words Epitome Victor., or Victoris, or Victorini, and a keen controversy has been maintained as to the real name of the abbreviator. It seems clear, at all events, that he cannot be the Aurelius Victor who compiled the he followed or rather copied the latter very closely, but consulted other sources, and did not consider himself bound to adhere slavishly to his statements.