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Flavius EutropiusRoman historian
Country:
 Italy |
Content:
Eutropius: Roman Historian
Early Life and CareerEutropius, a Roman historian, is believed to have originated from Bordeaux. During the reign of Emperor Constantius II, he held the position of "magister epistularum." In 363 AD, he participated in Emperor Julian II's Persian campaign. Six years later, he served as "magister memoriae" for Emperor Valens in the East.
Political Rise and Consulship
By 371/372, Eutropius had become proconsul of Asia. In 379, while serving in Emperor Gratian's court, he visited Rome. He subsequently held the position of praetorian prefect of Illyricum from 379 to 381. In 387, he ascended to the rank of consul alongside Emperor Valentinian II. Details about his career beyond this point remain unknown.
Religious Affiliation
It is noteworthy that Eutropius was a pagan.The "Breviarium ab Urbe Condita"
Composition and Influence
Eutropius is renowned as the author of the "Breviarium ab Urbe Condita," a concise history of Rome. This work, spanning 10 books, chronicled Roman history up to the reign of Emperor Valentinian I. In the 6th century, the "Breviarium" was translated into Greek by Paeanius and Lycius Capito. Later, in the 8th century, Paul the Deacon used it as the foundation for his Roman history. From the 9th to the 13th centuries, 19 manuscripts of Eutropius' text survived.
Legacy and Editions
Between 1516 and 1979, a total of 23 editions of the "Breviarium" were published. The early books are believed to have drawn heavily from the works of Livy and Polybius, particularly their accounts of the Pyrrhic and First Punic Wars.
