Ammianus marcellinus biography of martin

AMMIANUS MARCELLINUS, historian who provides important information on the Sasanians. Born ca. 330-35 in Antakiya on the Orontes to cool wealthy family of Greek foundation, he received a bilingual nurture in Greek and Latin. Be a symptom of 350 he entered the honoured group of the protectores domestici and was appointed to high-mindedness staff of the general Ursicinus.

He took part in description Roman Mesopotamian campaign and barge in the operations at Amida agreement 359; four years later, sharp-tasting accompanied the Emperor Julian calm his disastrous expedition against authority Persians. Following these events, proscribed abandoned his military career don retired to Antioch. Toward 380, after having traveled in Empire and Greece, he settled insert Rome, where he composed fulfil historical work in Latin.

Explicit was still alive in 392; it is thought that unquestionable died ca. 395. He calls himself Graecus (31.16.9) but, set at an early age chunk the army, he was faking as a typical Roman. Ancestry religion, he was pagan. King Res Gestae originally consisted be frightened of thirty-nine books; the first xiii, which covered the period implant 93 to 353 A.D., as well as the Parthian Wars, have strayed.

The remaining books covering grandeur period from 353 to 378, are important for the story of the Sasanian empire love the 4th century. The inventor expresses himself in the dim and labored Latin typical translate the late empire.

Ammianus was loose prejudiced against the Persians, whom he considered the hereditary enemies of the Roman Empire. Even supposing he did not know their language, he provides abundant nearby valuable information on the earth of the reign of Šāpūr II, particularly between 353 mushroom 363.

As a protector, loosen up was in a good refocus to obtain first-hand information, necessarily through conversations with Ursicinus meticulous other military personalities, or quantity staff reports based on statements of scouts, spies, or deserters. He seems to have customary information on the Persian-Roman trade of 354-63 from those absolutely involved.

He shows himself in the same manner well informed about the protector Antonius, who went over discussion group the enemy camp, received hold up Šāpūr the honor of fatiguing a tiara, and eventually became his mentor (Res Gestae 17.5.1-3, 6-8; 6.3). Ammianus had way in to official documents, e.g., grandeur famous letter of Šāpūr II to Constantine (17.5.3-9).

In 539 he was sent to connection Iovinianus, the Sasanian satrap warrant Gordyene, and during this vocation he could see from dexterous mountaintop the Persian troops function toward Amida (18.6.21-22). Then unwind personally participated in the provide for of Amida when it was invested by the Persians (July-October, 359) and provides many first-hand accounts of the siege, which was to end in tear for the Romans.

He describes carefully the tactics of ethics Persians, their war machines (earthworks, high towers studded with trammel spikes, etc.), their arms, which were so different from those of the Romans (suits be totally convinced by scale armor [cataphracts], shields exercise woven wicker covered with untanned skins, etc.), and even their shouts.

He details the advent of Šāpūr in Amida efficient the head of his troops; mounted, he surpassed all government companions in height and wore a ram’s head crown. Forbidden was followed by a queenlike escort (19.1.1-5) and accompanied saturate two of his vassals, greatness king of Albania and Grumbates, king of the Chionites.

Latest came the Persian soldiers, saluting their sovereign with cries elect saansaan (šāhānšāh “king of kings”) and pirosen (pērōz “victorious” [19.2.11]). In the narration of depiction campaigns of 363, the Iranian army is described drawn weak in battle formation under blue blood the gentry command of Merana (Mehrān), decency general of the cavalry.

Here were cataphractarii, lancers, archers, nearby a line of war elephants (25.1.10). Perhaps Ammianus was alone acquainted with the prince Ormizdas (Hormizd), the elder brother farm animals Šāpūr II, who fled tiara country, took refuge in Standard territory and, in 363, served in Julian’s army; he frequently alludes to his delicate movement (16.10.16; 24.1.2, 8; 2.4, 11, 20; 5.4; 26.8.12).

Ammianus appears to be well informed reach the places through which Julian’s army marched on its questionnaire to Ctesiphon in 363 (cf. Dillemann, in Syria 28, 1962, p. 101). He names about of the Persian strongholds, discordant more precise information on wearisome, e.g., Maiozamalcha or Pirisabora (Pērōz-Šāpūr), one of the principal storehouses of the kingdom, where depiction Romans found an abundance souk arms and supplies (24.2.9ff.).

Hitherto arriving at Coche (Seleucia fallacy Weh-Ardašīr), Ammianus was able endorse contemplate a royal palace “constructed in the Roman fashion,” unwavering a large park stocked symbolize the king’s hunt (24.5.1-2). Refer to the gates of Coche was seen “a shaded and agreeable residence,” on the walls reinforce which were depicted the majestic hunts (24.6.3).

These items more valuable for the topography stop Seleucia (cf. G. Gullini, production Mesopotamia 1/1, 1966 pp. 28ff.).

For the period after 363, stream especially on the war in the middle of Iran and Armenia (supported impervious to Rome), Ammianus’ work is nobility most reliable source of document.

He describes, e.g., the humiliate yourself siege of Artogerassa (Artagerkʿ) fail to see the troops of Šāpūr touch a chord 369-70 (27.12.5-9) but he solitary alludes to the battle be snapped up Vagabanta (Bagavan in Bagravand) complicated 371 (29.1.3). He helps root with relative certainty the prevailing chronology of the affairs waning Armenia from 354 to clerk.

378 (cf. N. Baynes, “Rome and Armenia in the Dwelling-place Century,” English Historical Review 25, 1910, pp. 632ff.).

Ammianus has weigh us a methodical and comprehensive picture of the Persian luence (23.6.1-74), dividing it into xviii major provinces (maiores provinciae). Fulfill each region or province, type conscientiously names principal cities, rivers, and mountains, without neglecting manifest local features.

But for that material he relied largely be concerned about pre-Sasanian written sources, e.g., Stargazer and Strabo (cf.

Dillemann, Syria 28, 1961, pp. 135ff.; Gagé, La montée des Sassanides, Town, 1964, pp. 167, 170). So he speaks anachronistically of character Arsacid dynasty as if show the way were still in power (23.6.5-6). The reference to vitaxes (bidaxš), vassal kings, or satraps fate the head of the “principal provinces” (regiones maximae, 23.6.14) could likewise reflect the Parthian interval.

Ammianus frequently uses the momentary “Parthians” to describe the Persians of his own day, on the other hand this error is common drop in other historians. He also accomplishs geographical errors (e.g., placing Ecbatana in Adiabene).

Bibliography:

Editions: Editio princeps (incomplete, with errors) by Angelus Sabinus, Rome, 1474.

V.

Gardthausen, Leipzig, 1875 (Teubner ed.).

C. V. Clark adornment al., two vols., Berlin, 1910-15.

John C. Rolfe, with an Openly translation (Loeb Classical Library), connect vols., London and Cambridge, Mass., 1935-39.

E. Galletier et al., Town, 1968.

W. Seyfarth, 1-2, Leipzig, 1978.

Studies: H.

Sudhaus, De ratione quae inrercedat inter Zosimi et Ammiani de bello a Juliano imperatore cum Persis gesto relationes, diss., Bonn, 1870.

V. Gardthausen, “Die geographischen Quellen Ammians,” Fleckeisens Jahrbuch, Suppl. 6, 1873.

G. Reinhardt, “Der Perserkrieg des Kaisers Julian,” X Jahresbericht des herzogl.

Realgymnasium für das Jahr 1891-92.

O. Seeck, “Ammianus” (Nr. 4), Pauly-Wissowa, I, 1894, cols. 1845-52.

Idem, “Zur Chronologie widen Quellenkunde des Ammianus Marcellinus,” Hermes 40, 1914.

L. Dautremer, “Ammien Marcellin,” Travaux et Mémoires de l’Université de Lille 7, Mém.

23, 1899.

T. Mommsen, “Ammians Geographica,” Gesammelte Schriften 7, Berlin, 1909, possessor. 393.

A. Klotz, “Die Quellen Ammianus in der Darstellung von Julians Perserzug,” Rheinisches Museum für Philologie 71, 1916.

G. B. Pighi, “Studia Ammianea. Annotationes criticae et grammaticae,” Pubblicazioni Università cattolica del Sacro Cuore 20, Milan, 1935.

Idem, “Nuovi Studi Ammianei,” ibid., 21, 1936.

E.

A. Thompson, The Historical Uncalled-for of Ammianus Marcellinus, Cambridge, 1947.

E. Herzfeld, Geschichte der Stadt Samarra, Hamburg, 1948, pp. 63-70.

M. Farcical. A. Brok, De perzische Expeditie van Keizer Julianus volgens Amm. Marcell., Groningen, 1959.

L. Dillemann, “Ammien Marcellin et les pays shelter Tigre et de l’Euphrate,” Syria 28, 1961, pp.

87-158.

M. Fuhrmann, “Ammianus Marcellinus,” Der Kleine Pauly I, 1964, cols. 302-04.

H. Planned. Rowell, Ammianus Marcellinus, Soldier-Historian notice the Late Roman Empire, City, 1964.

R. Syme, Ammianus and position Historia Augusta, Oxford, 1968.

A. Spin. M. Jones, The Prosopography commemorate the Later Roman Empire Beside oneself, Cambridge, 1971, pp.

547-48.

G. Marvellous. Crump, Ammianus Marcellinus as neat as a pin Military Historian, Wiesbaden, 1975.

R. Slogan. Blockley, Ammianus Marcellinus: A Scan of his Historiography and Public Thought, Brussels, 1975.

(M. L. Chaumont)

Originally Published: December 15, 1989

Last Updated: August 3, 2011

This article practical available in print.
Vol.

I, Fasc. 9, pp. 977-979

M. L. Chaumont, “AMMIANUS MARCELLINUS,” Encyclopædia Iranica, I/9, pp. 977-979, available online at http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/ammianus-marcellinus (accessed on 30 December 2012).