cit., p.179-181; J.Matthews, op. With few exceptions, the preponderant opinion before forty years ago was that his idiosyncratic writing is a sad instance of late antique deterioration from classical standards. Webammianus marcellinus the later roman empire summary ; ammianus marcellinus the later roman empire summary. In the afternoon, there will be activities and excursions to practice language skills. This is where youll see your current point status and your earned rewards. 5 In my doctoral dissertation, on parts of which this article is based (P.OBrien, Speeches and Imperial Characterization in Ammianus Marcellinus, diss. 330 - ca. 26 In his speech Julian is, in fact, manifesting the ideal qualities of a war leader. 1 Ammianus narrative on the siege of Amida (XIX, 1-9) takes up more space, but covers a period of 74 days. It will appear once more in close proximity to Julians speech-scenes (XX, 5, 10), and once (in slightly altered form) in association with Constantius (XXV, 2, 3). Frequently imperial orators are described as speaking serenely or placidly, as here, or as otherwise appearing favourable to their audiences23. An edition of this book was published by Penguin Australia. 12 Libanius, Orationes XVIII, 31-32; Julian, Epistula ad Athenienses 273c. (March 22, 2023). 21 The epic tone is continued in the following phrase, tubarum concinente clangore. scene, Ammianus would mention here the tribunal or speaking platform and describe the bands of high officials surrounding the imperial figure. 27 R.Seager, Ammianus Marcellinus: Seven Studies in his Language and Thought, Columbia, University of Missouri Press, 1986, p.69; 7176. Hamilton), Penguin, 1995. The Later Roman Empire chronicles a period of twenty-five years during Marcellinus own lifetime, covering the reigns of Constantius, Julian, Jovian, Valentinian I, and Valens, and providing eyewitness accounts of significant military events including the Battle of Strasbourg and the Goths Revolt. Silly, but the kind of thing people might actually do. For discussions of Ammianus Strasbourg narrative see N. Bitter, Kampfschilderungen bei Ammianus Marcellinus, Bonn, Habelts Dissertationsdrucke, 1976, p. 56-101; R.Blockley, Ammianus Marcellinus on the Battle of Strasbourg: Art and Analysis in the History, Phoenix 31 (1977), p. 218-231; K.Rosen, Studien zur Darstellungskunst und Glaubwrdigkeit des Ammianus Marcellinus, Bonn, Habelts Dissertationsdrucke, 1970, p.95-131; G.Sabbah, La Mthode dAmmien Marcellin. WebThe remaining books covering the period from 353 to 378, are important for the history of the Sasanian empire in the 4th century. 26, I.Io23 n. i: 'Such is the bad taste of Ammianus, that it is not easy to distinguish his facts from his metaphors.' In the process he will demonstrate once again the essential, albeit transformed, role of rhetoric in his late antique historiography. cit. Having taken control along the Danube, the Visigoths- led by Fritigernand the Ostrogothscommanded by Alatheus and Saphrax-headed toward Constantinople. , p.177, notes Virgilian and Livian echoes in this phrase. In this magisterial depiction of the closing decades of the Roman Empire, we can see the seeds of events that were to lead to the fall of the city, just twenty years after Marcellinus' death. ed. His Res gestae in 31 books runs from Nerva to the death of Valens (96378); extant are books 14 (353) to 31, published between 392 and 397. For discussions of Ammianus Strasbourg narrative see N. B, Kampfschilderungen bei Ammianus Marcellinus, , Bonn, Habelts Dissertationsdrucke, 1976, p. 56-101; R.B, , Ammianus Marcellinus on the Battle of Strasbourg: Art and Analysis in the, Studien zur Darstellungskunst und Glaubwrdigkeit des Ammianus Marcellinus, , Bonn, Habelts Dissertationsdrucke, 1970, p.95-131; G.S, Ammianus Marcellinus and his Classical Background, Mimesis. . Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. They therefore make a fitting conclusion to the scene, sealing it off from the narrative by leaving us with the notion that the mind of the army is ordered aright, as if it had been persuaded by a well-designed piece of imperial oratory39. On the interpretation of this passage see R. As we have noted, the first matter of note in Ammianus representation of Julians speech to his assembled troops at the outset of the Battle of Strasbourg (XVI, 12, 9) is its formal anomalousness. Originally it consisted of thirty-one books covering Roman imperial history from about 96 to 378 c.e., but only the last eighteen books, describing events from late 353 He also includes some period and touching details such as the doffing of helmets by army officers when fighting in the emperor's presence to increase the likelihood of recognition in the promotion sweepstakes. in English. 36 K.Rosen, op. In this case, however, there is no mention of a prepared platform or retinue (both correspond to Augustan privilege). Word Count: 26. WebAmmianus Marcellinus, ca. Yet, despite this defeat, by 382, under Valenss successor Theodosius, the Romans drove the Goths back to Thrace and achieved peace. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Ammianus Marcellinus and the Representation of Historical Reality (Cornell Studi at the best online prices at eBay! 29The complex portrait of Julian that emerges from the Strasbourg speech-scene says much about Ammianus various sympathies, literary and ideological, and how they may at times diverge. 8By the time the narrative reaches XVI, 12, Julians situation and disposition have changed considerably. 19 Cf. WebAmmianus was born in Antioch, Syria, into a noble Greek family. They should delay because the sun is hot, the troops are tired and hungry and the projected night-fighting will have to be undertaken under a moonless sky. In addition, the following book is recommended: During the Reigns of the Emperors Constantius, Julian, Jovianus, Valentinian, and Valens. There is a brief and dated monograph: G.B. Pighi, I Discorsi nelle Storie dAmmiano Marcellino, Milan, Vita e Pensiero, 1936. Considered in the total context of Julians imperial career as it appears in the, The theoretical terms of divine favour and army support, as well as the protection of an elder Augustus, were set out formally (XV, 8, 8) at Julians caesarian accession with all the pomp and splendor of the fourth-century ceremonial. In his speech Julian is, in fact, manifesting the ideal qualities of a war leader. In addition to preserving a sense of Caesarian propriety, several aspects of this, The general impression of Julian that Ammianus wishes to convey in the chapters before the Strasbourg battle narrative is clear: the pious, learned, divinely favoured Caesar is achieving great things in the provinces against adversaries both native (in campaigns against the Alamanni and Franks) and Roman (he is calumniated by the, XVI, 4-6 describe the initial drawing up of the opposing armies. The whole of Ammianus Book XVI is a sort of textual monument to Julians unexpected prowess on the field and to the authority that Ammianus thought due him. 18 P. de Jonge, Philological and Historical Commentary on Ammianus Marcellinus XVI, Groningen, Boumas Boekhuis, 1972, p.180 (ad XVI, 12, 8) notes that adlocutio is not a term to be found in Ammianus at all, yet it is clear from his treatment of speeches in the history that this term can usefully be employed to distinguish the type of speeches he allots to Augustan figures from others. New Catholic Encyclopedia. Praei nos ut faustus antesignanus et fortis! On the one hand, Ammianus focuses on the emperor in the three different varieties of adlocutio ceremony (i. e. battle-field harangue, promotion of junior imperial candidate by senior, accession of single Augustus) as a persona encompassing the multiple political, military, and religious dimensions of the late-antique imperial office. The formulaic signposts, familiar from Ammianus other adlocutio scenes, both establish the comparison and expose the difference of situation. Therefore even here Ammianus can present their remonstrance as a rightful function of the theoretical consensus necessary for Julians rule to be legitimate. Visibilit, lisibilit, efficacit : les inscriptions monumentales en Grce et Rome, Figure(s) du lgislateur : la parole de lexpert dans la littrature antique, Sublime et sublimation dans l'imaginaire grco-romain, La Vieillesse dans l'Antiquit, entre dchance et sagesse, En hommage a Paul-Hubert Poirier, erudit, maitre et ami, Action politique et criture de l'histoire II, Action politique et criture de l'histoire I, Valeurs, normes et constructions identitaires, Portail de ressources lectroniques en sciences humaines et sociales, Catalogue des 609 revues. A Roman historian chronicles Rome on the brink of collapseAmmianus Marcellinus was the last great Roman historian, and his writings rank alongside those of Livy and Tacitus. Indeed, Constantius had only recently suppressed two serious usurpers who had had the backing of the Gallic army15. Portraying a time of rapid and dramatic change, Marcellinus describes an Empire exhausted by excessive taxation, corruption, the financial ruin of the middle classes and the progressive decline in the morale of the army. He is usually objective and fairminded. We should note that the verb. Segundo Eutropio e Festo, historiadores da segunda metade do sculo IV, nun momento no que o emperador romano Traxano era percibido como "un valioso paradigma para os acontecementos e figuras contemporneas", escribiu baixo a direccin do Emperador Valente, Asiria era unha das tres provincias romanas (con Armenia e . eNotes.com, Inc. Constantius again serves as an example. n. 1, p.248-249. Read this book online: HTML (as submitted), DG: History: General and Eastern Hemisphere: Italy, Vatican City, Malta, https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/28587.html.images, https://www.gutenberg.org/files/28587/28587-h/28587-h.htm, https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/28587.epub3.images, https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/28587.epub.noimages, https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/28587.kf8.images, https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/28587.kindle.images, https://www.gutenberg.org/files/28587/28587-0.txt, The Roman History of Ammianus Marcellinus. This is a tension that may increase or abate in the course of repeated speech scenes in an ongoing narrative. date the date you are citing the material. 2023 , Last Updated on May 6, 2015, by eNotes Editorial. WebIntroduction The life of Ammianus Our knowledge of Ammianus is derived almost wholly from his own writings. cit., p.104-110. Following the break is the more regular focus on the speaker as he prepares to address the troops, gathered in wedge-formation, as if to emphasise the fact that they are on a battlefield rather than in a camp: indictaque solitis uocibus quiete cuneatim circumsistentes alloquitur genuina placiditate sermonis. The last history of Rome written in Latin by a pagan, Ammianuss Compendium of Roman History serves as a window into the Roman Empire immediately before its fall. Web4 [A] Conflict [of Ideas in the Late Roman Empire, I952], 4, 4I ; Alf6ldi's view of Ammianus has not generally been accepted: cf., for example, N. H. Baynes, JRS XLIII (953), I69. Livys account of the conduct of Aemilius Paulus prior to the battle of Pydna (XLIV, 36) is adduced as the model by N.Bitter, op. It is excellent if gloomy reading., the smell of decay throughout the Empire is redolent within this book. Amsterdam, North-Holland, 1992, p.27-37. In keeping with the general trend to re-evaluate late antique culture on its own terms rather than on those of the classical canon, recent scholarship has been more forgiving of Ammianus stylistic quirks and eccentricities. Formally speaking, Julians ambiguous standing is reflected in the fact that when he delivers his oration he does not, as a mere Caesar, enjoy the right of, interrupting, the assembly gently prevented him [from speaking further], declaring their intuitio. Does it confirm his popularity, his aptness for imperial rank, or does it rather suggest that Constantius and his advisors were right, and that the Caesar was not yet competent to hold independent military command? Web7M. cit., p. 100, notes that the interpolation of Florentius disquisition and Ammianus subsequent discussion of the Alamannic army before the concluding acclamation has a dramatic effect of delay similar to that in the introduction to the speech. 10In addition to such correctives to Ammianus account of Constantius slights against Julian, it also seems likely that the historian deliberately obscures the Augustus direction (or at least collaboration) in the very positive aspects of Julians military role in Gaul he takes such care to promote. Caesars in the fourth century were entitled to address their troops for the purpose of exhortation before battle (a type of address we may for convenience call, ), but not before an assemblage of the entire army and not, apparently, with all of the trappings of a formal Augustan, . WebThe Later Roman Empire chronicles a period of twenty-five years during Marcellinus' own lifetime, covering the reigns of Constantius, Julian, Jovian, Valentinian I, and Valens, and providing eyewitness accounts of significant military events including the Battle of Strasbourg and the Goth's Revolt. Put another way, we could say that in his effort to represent a different reality than that of traditional Roman historiography, Ammianus had to transform deliberative rhetorics shape and role, yet has at the same time preserved its capacity to invest narrative with an innate intellectual dimension, The speech scene under examination here uses the expected standards of ceremonial regularity to bolster Ammianus well-known championship of Julians right to rule, as well as his capacity for the job. There are twelve imperial set speeches in the extant narrative: XIV, 10, 11: Constantius on the b. Nevertheless, his portrayal of Julian at such a crucial juncture reveals both a deep understanding of the motivation of his character and a subtle approach to the polemic he offers in Julians behalf. The sounding of trumpets takes up the next formula, and then follows not the gathering of troops into an audience but their forward march. Livy Ancient Church historian; b. Spain, c. 390; d. after 418, place unknown. , diss. On the one hand, Ammianus focuses on the emperor in the three different varieties of, . 325ca. Huge was the joy with which all but a few approved the Augustus judgement, and they received the Caesar with worthy admiration, as he blazed there in the brightness of imperial purple. 26, I.Io23 n. i: 'Such is the bad taste of Ammianus, that it is not easy to distinguish his facts from his metaphors.' Bibliography: Rerum gestarum libri, ed. In this case it is flavoured by an unusual epic tone21. Ammianus was solidly prejudiced against the Persians, whom he considered the hereditary enemies of the Roman Empire. Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. 9Modern scholarship has deflated Ammianus outrage somewhat, recognizing not only that Constantius, who had only recently overcome the usurpation of Julians half-brother Gallus, may have had legitimate grounds both for worrying about his Caesars complete lack of military experience and for mistrusting the loyalty of a junior colleague. Just for joining youll get personalized recommendations on your dashboard daily and features only for members. When the speech concludes, the audience reaction is even more definitive: Nemo post haec finita reticuit, sed militares omnes horrendo fragore scuta genibus illidentes () immane quo quantoque gaudio praeter paucos Augusti probauere iudicium Caesaremque admiratione digna suscipiebant imperatorii muricis fulgore flagrantem. 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On the interpretation of this passage see R. As we have noted, the first matter of note in Ammianus representation of Julians speech to his assembled troops at the outset of the Battle of Strasbourg (XVI, 12, 9) is its formal anomalousness. Originally it consisted of thirty-one books covering Roman imperial history from about 96 to 378 c.e., but only the last eighteen books, describing events from late 353 He also includes some period and touching details such as the doffing of helmets by army officers when fighting in the emperor's presence to increase the likelihood of recognition in the promotion sweepstakes. in English. 36 K.Rosen, op. In this case, however, there is no mention of a prepared platform or retinue (both correspond to Augustan privilege). Word Count: 26. WebAmmianus Marcellinus, ca. Yet, despite this defeat, by 382, under Valenss successor Theodosius, the Romans drove the Goths back to Thrace and achieved peace. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Ammianus Marcellinus and the Representation of Historical Reality (Cornell Studi at the best online prices at eBay! 29The complex portrait of Julian that emerges from the Strasbourg speech-scene says much about Ammianus various sympathies, literary and ideological, and how they may at times diverge. 8By the time the narrative reaches XVI, 12, Julians situation and disposition have changed considerably. 19 Cf. WebAmmianus was born in Antioch, Syria, into a noble Greek family. They should delay because the sun is hot, the troops are tired and hungry and the projected night-fighting will have to be undertaken under a moonless sky. In addition, the following book is recommended: During the Reigns of the Emperors Constantius, Julian, Jovianus, Valentinian, and Valens. There is a brief and dated monograph: G.B. Pighi, I Discorsi nelle Storie dAmmiano Marcellino, Milan, Vita e Pensiero, 1936. Considered in the total context of Julians imperial career as it appears in the, The theoretical terms of divine favour and army support, as well as the protection of an elder Augustus, were set out formally (XV, 8, 8) at Julians caesarian accession with all the pomp and splendor of the fourth-century ceremonial. In his speech Julian is, in fact, manifesting the ideal qualities of a war leader. In addition to preserving a sense of Caesarian propriety, several aspects of this, The general impression of Julian that Ammianus wishes to convey in the chapters before the Strasbourg battle narrative is clear: the pious, learned, divinely favoured Caesar is achieving great things in the provinces against adversaries both native (in campaigns against the Alamanni and Franks) and Roman (he is calumniated by the, XVI, 4-6 describe the initial drawing up of the opposing armies. The whole of Ammianus Book XVI is a sort of textual monument to Julians unexpected prowess on the field and to the authority that Ammianus thought due him. 18 P. de Jonge, Philological and Historical Commentary on Ammianus Marcellinus XVI, Groningen, Boumas Boekhuis, 1972, p.180 (ad XVI, 12, 8) notes that adlocutio is not a term to be found in Ammianus at all, yet it is clear from his treatment of speeches in the history that this term can usefully be employed to distinguish the type of speeches he allots to Augustan figures from others. New Catholic Encyclopedia. Praei nos ut faustus antesignanus et fortis! On the one hand, Ammianus focuses on the emperor in the three different varieties of adlocutio ceremony (i. e. battle-field harangue, promotion of junior imperial candidate by senior, accession of single Augustus) as a persona encompassing the multiple political, military, and religious dimensions of the late-antique imperial office. The formulaic signposts, familiar from Ammianus other adlocutio scenes, both establish the comparison and expose the difference of situation. Therefore even here Ammianus can present their remonstrance as a rightful function of the theoretical consensus necessary for Julians rule to be legitimate. Visibilit, lisibilit, efficacit : les inscriptions monumentales en Grce et Rome, Figure(s) du lgislateur : la parole de lexpert dans la littrature antique, Sublime et sublimation dans l'imaginaire grco-romain, La Vieillesse dans l'Antiquit, entre dchance et sagesse, En hommage a Paul-Hubert Poirier, erudit, maitre et ami, Action politique et criture de l'histoire II, Action politique et criture de l'histoire I, Valeurs, normes et constructions identitaires, Portail de ressources lectroniques en sciences humaines et sociales, Catalogue des 609 revues. A Roman historian chronicles Rome on the brink of collapseAmmianus Marcellinus was the last great Roman historian, and his writings rank alongside those of Livy and Tacitus. Indeed, Constantius had only recently suppressed two serious usurpers who had had the backing of the Gallic army15. Portraying a time of rapid and dramatic change, Marcellinus describes an Empire exhausted by excessive taxation, corruption, the financial ruin of the middle classes and the progressive decline in the morale of the army. He is usually objective and fairminded. We should note that the verb. Segundo Eutropio e Festo, historiadores da segunda metade do sculo IV, nun momento no que o emperador romano Traxano era percibido como "un valioso paradigma para os acontecementos e figuras contemporneas", escribiu baixo a direccin do Emperador Valente, Asiria era unha das tres provincias romanas (con Armenia e . eNotes.com, Inc. Constantius again serves as an example. n. 1, p.248-249. Read this book online: HTML (as submitted), DG: History: General and Eastern Hemisphere: Italy, Vatican City, Malta, https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/28587.html.images, https://www.gutenberg.org/files/28587/28587-h/28587-h.htm, https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/28587.epub3.images, https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/28587.epub.noimages, https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/28587.kf8.images, https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/28587.kindle.images, https://www.gutenberg.org/files/28587/28587-0.txt, The Roman History of Ammianus Marcellinus. This is a tension that may increase or abate in the course of repeated speech scenes in an ongoing narrative. date the date you are citing the material. 2023