Ammianus Marcellinus

Ammianus Marcellinus
Ammianus Marcellinus was a Roman historian who lived during the 4th century AD, often considered the last great historian of antiquity. His main work, "Res Gestae," covers Roman history from the reign of Emperor Nerva (96 AD) to the death of Emperor Valens (378 AD), though only the later sections, from 353 to 378 AD, have survived. Ammianus was a former soldier and participated in campaigns, lending his historical accounts a detailed and military-focused perspective. His writings are valued for their firsthand observations and insight into the decline of the Roman Empire, as well as his balanced portrayal of both Roman and non-Roman cultures.

Author's Books:


Of Ammianus Marcellinus, the writer of the following History, we know very little more than what can be collected from that portion of it which remains to us. From that source we learn that he was a native of Antioch, and a soldier; being one of the prefectores domestici—the body-guard of the emperor, into which none but men of noble birth were admitted. He was on the staff of Ursicinus, whom he... more...