The ''
Epitome
An epitome (; , from ἐπιτέμνειν ''epitemnein'' meaning "to cut short") is a summary or miniature form, or an instance that represents a larger reality, also used as a synonym for embodiment. Epitomacy represents "to the degree of." A ...
de Caesaribus'' is a 5th-century Latin historical work based on the ''
Liber de Caesaribus'' (also known as ''Historiae abbreviatae'') by
Aurelius Victor.
It is a brief account of the reigns of the
Roman emperors from
Augustus
Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...
to
Theodosius the Great. It is often attributed to
Aurelius Victor, but was written by an anonymous author who was very likely a pagan. The author used the so-called ''
Enmannsche Kaisergeschichte'' and the (now lost) ''Annales'' of
Virius Nicomachus Flavianus
Virius Nicomachus Flavianus (334–394 AD) was a grammarian, a historian and a politician of the Roman Empire.
A pagan and close friend of Quintus Aurelius Symmachus, he was Praetorian prefect of Italy from 390–392. Under the usurper Eugenius ...
(a friend of
Quintus Aurelius Symmachus
Quintus Aurelius Symmachus Nickname, signo Eusebius (, ; c. 345 – 402) was a Roman statesman, orator, and intellectual. He held the offices of governor of proconsular Africa (province), Africa in 373, urban prefect of Rome in 384 and 385, and R ...
). Although very brief in length and not always reliable, it also contains some useful information such as how the late Romans perceived the Sassanian wars and descriptions of the affairs of the Tetrarchy as well as anecdotes of various emperors. The work also shows numerous anachronisms and inaccuracies, such as referring to
Caracalla
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (born Lucius Septimius Bassianus, 4 April 188 – 8 April 217), better known by his nickname Caracalla (; ), was Roman emperor from 198 to 217 AD, first serving as nominal co-emperor under his father and then r ...
as the father of the later emperor
Elagabalus
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (born Sextus Varius Avitus Bassianus, 204 – 13 March 222), better known by his posthumous nicknames Elagabalus ( ) and Heliogabalus ( ), was Roman emperor from 218 to 222, while he was still a teenager. His short r ...
, a rumour perpetuated by the
Severan dynasty.
Bibliography
* Schlumberger, Jörg A. (1974). ''Die Epitome de Caesaribus. Untersuchungen zur heidnischen Geschichtsschreibung des 4. Jahrhunderts n. Chr.'', C.H. Beck, Munich.
External links
* (Latin text)
*
Epitome de Caesaribus' (English translation)
*' (Latin text)
*
' (Latin text)
*
Liber de Caesaribus' (Latin text and German translation)
{{Authority control
4th-century books in Latin
Roman Empire in late antiquity
Works about history in Latin
Works about ancient Rome