Res Gestae

Ammianus Marcellinus

Ammianus Marcellinus. Ammianus Marcellinus, with an English translation, Vols. I-III. Rolfe, John C., translator. Cambridge, MA; London: Harvard University Press; W. Heinemann, 1935-1940 (printing).

These events, from the principate of the emperor Nerva to the death of Valens, I, a former soldier and a Greek, have set forth to the measure of my ability, without ever (I believe) consciously venturing to debase through silence or through falsehood a work whose aim was the truth. The rest may be written by abler men, who are in the prime of life and learning. But if they chose to undertake such a task, I advise them to forge[*](For procudere, cf. xv. 2, 8 (ingenium); xxx. 4, 13 (ora); Horace, Odes, iv. 15, 19.) their tongues to the loftier style.

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The second part, written about 550 in barbarous Latin by another unknown author, under the title Item ex libris Chronicorum inter cetera, covers the period from 474 to 526, and deals mainly with the history of Theodoric. The writer was an opponent of Arianism, and he seems to have based his compilation on the Chronicle of Maximianus, bishop of Ravenna in 546, who died in 556. For this part we have, besides B, cod. Vaticanus Palatinus, Lat. n. 927 (P) of the twelfth century, in which the title appears as De adventu Oduachar regis Cyrorum[*](Apparently for Scyrorum (Scirorum), Exc. § 37.) et Erulorum in Italia, et quomodo Rex Theodericus eum fuerit persecutus. The Excerpts as a whole furnish an introduction and a sequel to the narrative of Ammianus.

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Diocletian ruled with Herculius[*](This name was conferred on Maximianus by Diocletian.) Maximianus for twenty years.

Constantius,[*](Constantius Chlorus, father of Constantine, emperor 305–306.) grandson of the brother of that best of emperors Claudius,[*](Claudius II.; his mother was Claudia, daughter of Crispus, brother of Claudius II; cf. Eutr. ix. 22; Hieron. a. Abr. 2307.) was first one of the emperor’s bodyguard, then a tribune, and later, governor of Dalmatia.[*](Under the emperor Carus, who wished to make him Caesar in place of his own brother Carinus.) With Galerius he was appointed Caesar by Diocletian[*](In 292.) ; for he put away his former wife Helena and married Theodora, daughter of Maximianus, by whom he afterwards had six children,[*](Three sons: Dalmatius, Julius Constantius, and Hannibalianus; and three daughters: Constantia, Anastasia, and Eutropia.) brothers of Constantine. But by his former wife Helena he already had a son Constantine, who was later the mightiest of emperors.