Aurelius Victor: de Caesaribus

By: Victor, Aurelius

This is the first full-scale translation and commentary in English of Aurelius Victor's De Caesaribus, which provides a brief survey of the emperors of Rome from Octavian Augustus in 30 BC to Constantius II in AD 360.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0853232180
• ISBN13: 9780853232186
• Release Date: February 1994
• Publisher: Liverpool University Press
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

De Caesaribus - Aurelius Victor - an Epitome of Roman History

Aurelius Victor (c. 320-late 4th century) was born in North Africa and spent his early years in Rome studying law. He soon obtained a position in the Imperial Bureaucracy however his exact position is unknown. Most likely Victor had access to the Emperor Constantius and thus the De Caesaribus only contains unstinting praise so that he might not "distract from his eulogistic portrait" of this particular emperor. Soon Victor became well regarded by the Emperor Julian and became a member of the senate and served as governor of North Africa. Victor's next known office was that of urban prefect of Rome and he died sometime in the late 4th century. Victor began the De Caesaribus sometime in late 359-360 and completed it in 361. The De Caesaribus' sources included the now lost Kaisergeshicte (also the primary source for the much more influential brief history of Rome - Eutropius' Breviarium). Unlike Eutropius, the De Caesaribus was not widely known or read and thus only two manuscripts remain. Bird attributes Victor's lack of popularity to his "tortuous, pretentious style and frequent moralizing" and instead were attracted to the clear and lucid style of Eutropius. Victor considered it his task to interpret the course of Imperial history as he recounted the events and to pass judgment on the individuals and classes involved. This heavy moralizing tone is in the vein of the popular Roman historian of the Republic, Sallust. Bird's edition of the De Caesaribus contains an excellent introduction that pieces together Victor's early life and career in politics. He also devotes substantial sections to Victor's style and sources. In addition, this volume contains very good notes (commentary) which not only provides other sources that contain similar facts but clarifies and elaborates on Victor's style and technical vocabulary. The volume also contains a few maps and a helpful bibliography for further reading. This English translation is intended as a companion volume to Bird's 'Sextus Aurelius Victor: A Historiographical Study' and 'Eutropius: Breviarium'. This is an absolute must read primary source for those interested in Late Antiquity and Roman Historiography.

An Elegant Epitome of Roman Rulers

Aurelius Victor's De Caesaribus is a concise reign-by-reign account of the Roman emperors ranging from Octavian (30 BC) to Constantius II (360 AD). This short work was written by a patriot, a pagan, and a staunch conservative during the final days of Constantius and the rise Caesar Julian. De Caesaribus will probably be most useful to those seeking a supplementary account for the Historiae Augustae. And it will, of course, be very beneficial not only for Aurelius Victor's colorful summary of the emperors, but also for the fact that H.W. Bird furnishes us with an exhaustive commentary, an informative introduction and an unprecedented elegant English translation of this text.