Marcellinus Ammianus Quotes

A collection of quotes by Marcellinus Ammianus.

Marcellinus Ammianus, also known as Ammianus Marcellinus, was a Roman historian and military officer born around 330 AD, possibly in Antioch, Syria. Not much is known about his early life, and the details of his family background remain obscure. He served as a soldier in the Roman army during the fourth century, and rose to the rank of comes, which denotes a high-ranking military officer.

Ammianus is primarily known for his work "Res Gestae," translated as "The Res Gestae or Rerum gestarum libri," which means "The Deeds of the Romans" in Latin. This historical narrative begins where Tacitus' "Histories" ends, covering the events from 96 AD (Tacitus' last work) to 378 AD, during the reigns of emperors Nerva to Valens. Written in Latin, Ammianus provides a detailed account of political, military, and social events during his era.

His writing style is highly regarded for its clarity, precision, and ability to convey complex military campaigns vividly. While Ammianus displayed certain biases and lacked the rhetorical flourish of earlier historians, his work is considered a valuable source of information for the later Roman Empire. Sadly, only surviving fragments of his writings have been passed down to us, covering Books XIV-XXXI, leaving a significant portion of his work lost to history. The exact date and circumstances of his death are also unknown, leaving a void regarding the conclusion of his remarkable life.