History of the Empire from the Death of Marcus

by Herodian

The History of Herodian (born ca. 178–179 CE) covers a period of the Roman empire from the death of the emperor Marcus Aurelius (180 CE) to the accession of Gordian III (238), half a century of turbulence, in which we can see the onset of the revolution which, in the words of Gibbon, “will ever be remembered, and is still felt by the nations of the earth.” In these years, a succession of frontier crises and a disastrous lack of economic planning established a pattern of military coups and increasing cultural pluralism.

Of this revolutionary epoch we know all too little. The selection of chance has destroyed all but a handful of the literary sources that deal with the immediate post-Antonine scene. Herodian’s work is one of the few that have survived, and it has come down to us completely intact. Of the author we know virtually nothing, except that he served in some official capacity in the empire of which he wrote. His History was apparently produced for the benefit of people in the Greek-speaking half of the Roman empire. It betrays the faults of an age when truth was distorted by rhetoric and stereotypes were a substitute for sound reason. But it is an essential document for any who would try to understand the nature of the Roman empire in an era of rapidly changing social and political institutions.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

220 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 240

About the author

Herodian or Herodianus (Greek: Ἡρωδιανός) of Syria, sometimes referred to as "Herodian of Antioch" (c. 170 – c. 240), was a minor Roman civil servant who wrote a colorful history in Greek titled History of the Empire from the Death of Marcus (τῆς μετὰ Μάρκον βασιλείας ἱστορία) in eight books covering the years 180 to 238.

His work is not entirely reliable although his relatively unbiased account of Elagabalus is more useful than that of Cassius Dio. He was a Greek (perhaps from Antioch) who appears to have lived for a considerable period of time in Rome, but possibly without holding any public office. From his extant work, we gather that he was still living at an advanced age during the reign of Gordianus III, who ascended the throne in 238. Beyond this, nothing is known of his life.

Reviews

[Vladimiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sicuramente Erodiano non è un grande storico; il suo racconto molte volte è vago in termini militari, è pieno di ripetizioni (soprattutto negli ultimi due libri) e altri storici hanno coperto in modo migliore il periodo, trovandosi più vicini (e qui più informati) al potere, come Cassio Dione.

Gli va però riconosciuta una onestà di fondo, che lo porta a dire che l'odiato tiranno Massimino fu un grande imperatore per meriti bellici; interessantissimo il punto di vista su Commodo, per cui parla di "grandi speranze" tradite. Interessante anche il giudizio negativo sull'uomo Settimio Severo, infido e manipolatore come pochi.

Comunque da leggere perché quello di Erodiano è il parere della parte orientale ed ellenica dell'impero (potremmo dire quasi piccolo-borghese), giusto contrappeso a Dione, sempre greco di lingua ma senatore.

[Santiago González · Rating 4 out of 5]

Herodiano da un tratamiento desigual y a menudo sucinto pero con una narración relativamente fluida, añade una perspectiva e ideologia diferente que complementa muy bien a Dion Casio (y llega un poco más lejos). Me ha gustado la lectura, la recomiendo.

[Vendula Dvorackova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poměrně dost čtivé, četla jsem v českém překladu v Antické knihovně.

[Paweł]

"31 Był to Klaudiusz Pompejanus Kwintianus, syn męża Lucylli
Pompejana z jego pierwszego małżeństwa, ożeniony z jej córką z poprzedniego małżeństwa z Lucjuszem Werusem."

[Pavla]

Quite descriptive, but I got into it eventually.