when proper advice has been taken in good part, divine assistance has often put right a tottering, Julian moves through the customary apostrophe flattering his audience (, , XVI, 12, 9) and presents his proposition to their good judgment in the, (XVI, 12, 11). 395 CE, a Greek of Antioch, joined the army when still young and served under the governor Ursicinus and the emperor of the East Constantius II, and later under the emperor Julian, whom he admired and accompanied against the Alamanni and the Persians.He subsequently settled in Rome, where he wrote in Latin a The reason Ammianus has presented them as he does here is to attach to Julian as seamlessly as possible the divine protection and army fidelity which might otherwise seem absent. Required reading for anyone who wished to understand how the greatest empire of the ancient world began its precipitous fall. Word Count: 150. As is clear from the formal construction of this speech-scene, which lacks several of the normative features of his other adlocutiones, Ammianus is careful to respect this convention while at the same time strongly intimating Julians ripeness for an Augustan role. Here shields and spears are clashed together, and this, along with gnashing teeth, is indication at least of eagerness for battle (. ) These articles have not yet undergone the rigorous in-house editing or fact-checking and styling process to which most Britannica articles are customarily subjected. Bear our banner as a brave and fortune-blessed leader! R. Seager notes that Ammianus use of cautus in military contexts is apt to be negative27. WebAmmianus Marcellinus was the last great Roman historian, and his writings rank alongside those of Livy and Tacitus. Ammianus mentions the independence of the Gallic army soon after the speech in Florentius disquisition (XVI, 12, 14). Yet the greater focus on detail allowed by the battle narrative means that the scope of action is somewhat exploded, and certain concluding elements of the speech are delayed, just as certain of the introductory elements were dispersed in explanatory text. 1947). Experieris, quid miles sub conspectu bellicosi ductoris testisque indiuidui gerendorum, modo adsit superum numen, uiribus efficiet excitatis, , p.66-67 and n. 194, notes that the speech of the signifer is a trope of Roman. 395 CE, a Greek of Antioch, joined the army when still young and served under the governor Ursicinus and the emperor of the East Constantius II, and later under the emperor Julian, whom he admired and accompanied against the Alamanni and the Persians. Cited only by the Latin grammarian Priscian in antiquity (for a grammatical point), Ammianuss work started to become important to scholars in the late fifteenth 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.' was the greatest Roman scholar and an incredibly prolific writer. 5The 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. The Historiographic Art of Ammianus Marcellinus. It is indicative of the particular situation of this speech that the time is verging on midday rather than dawn, which is the case in other scenes with time phrases in their introductions. You can opt-out of the sale or sharing of personal information anytime. WebSteele, 'Ammianus Marcellinus', Classical World 16 (1922), 18-24, 27-8, at 20, and before that the unflattering remark of Edward Gibbon, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1776-88, ed. In style, he shows best in his excellent characterizations and the vitality of his dramatic narratives, but he is often excessively rhetorical. New Catholic Encyclopedia. His language is diffuse and poetical, anticipating the style of the literature of the century to follow. n.1 (see index under Ammianus Marcellinus: treatment of letters and speeches), and in G.Sabbah, op. Ammianus Marcellinus information and knowledge of the Sasanian Persians is often criticised for being stereotypical and reliant on traditional tropes and ideas. The surviving books of his history cover the years 353 to 378. On fortuna in the Res gestae, see C.P.T.Naud, Fortuna in Ammianus Marcellinus, AClass 7 (1964), p.70-89. Intense Roman patriotism led him to write in Latin and fill the void after Tacitus. First study of Constantine to make use of Kevin Wilkinson's re-dating of the poet Palladas to the reign of Constantine, disproving the predominant Show all Table of Contents Export Citation (s) Gaul at the time of Julians mission was a volatile region not only because it faced barbarian threats from without, but also because it had a notoriously independent-minded army populated by large numbers of native troops. This paper argues that this speech nevertheless plays a significant part in Ammianus strategy of building Julian up for imperial office, a role that scholars have failed to see because they have generally neglected the importance of formal speeches in Ammianus historiography a topos intimately connected with the fortunes of rhetoric in the late antique empire. All cited passages are from W. Ammiani Marcellini rerum gestarum libri qui supersunt, , Leipzig, Teubner, 1978. Julians death-bed speech (XXV, 3, 15) is delivered in, , but belongs to a different genre. By using LibraryThing you acknowledge that you have read and understand our. Articles such as this one were acquired and published with the primary aim of expanding the information on Britannica.com with greater speed and efficiency than has traditionally been possible. Ed. If there are two dates, the date of publication and appearance Introduction n recent decades, a number of important studies have clearly shown that paideia still retained in the later Roman Empire its full force as cultural ideal.1 These works state that the traditional literary, philosophical, and Firstly, the soldiers rely on the favour of the heavenly deity, secondly on their own self-confidence, thirdly on the tried valour of their fortunate leader. Webammianus marcellinus the later roman empire summary ; ammianus marcellinus the later roman empire summary. The whole book is famously heralded by Ammianus elegant disclaimer that though he might be accused of panegyric in relating Julians activity, he actually speaks the truth (XVI, 1, 3). 13The 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 magister peditum et equitum Marcellus, XVI, 7, who had refused him aid in battle, XVI, 4, 3). 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. 29 The view that Ammianus intends Julians speech to stand in the tradition of the reverse psychology exhortation, whereby a general speaks contrary to his own mind in order to test or otherwise deceive the soldiery into doing what he wants, is attractive, but seems only barely possible in the situation, and is not consistent with Ammianus characterization of Julian. Ammianus Marcellinus was the last great Roman historian, and his writings rank alongside those of Livy and Tacitus. In the process he will demonstrate once again the essential, albeit transformed, role of rhetoric in his late antique historiography. WebPublisher's summary. On the other hand, by cuing contrasts and concordances between the emperors focalized, and the objective judgement of his own third-person narrative, Ammianus develops an individualized subjective portrait of the man in purple. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. J. Matthews reading of the scene exposes the rupture that Ammianus strives to cover over here: this detail is a salutary reminder that the battle, Julians greatest single military triumph and the event that more than any other transformed his position in Gaul, was fought in circumstances in which he was overridden by his advisers, , p. 100, notes that the interpolation of Florentius disquisition and Ammianus, The discussion of the reception of the speech by the army and high command would seem to end the speech-scene. This is a tension that may increase or abate in the course of repeated speech scenes in an ongoing narrative. He opens with the pointed urget ratio and twice in the exordium (XVI, 12, 9-10) he voices the typical promise to be brief in his comments. Eumque, ut potiori reuerentia seruaretur, nec supra modum laudabant nec infra, quam decebat, atque ideo censorum uoces sunt aestimate, non militum (XV, 8, 15-17). 2023 , Last Updated on May 6, 2015, by eNotes Editorial. The later Roman Empire (A.D. 354-378) 1986, Penguin Books. . 26By attributing such exultant words to the soldiery, Ammianus transforms their interruption of the emperor and their rejection of his proposal into a veritable gesture of approval. He then reports the exclamation of a standard bearer: perge, felicissime omnium Caesar, quo te fortuna prosperior ducit. 2001 eNotes.com Ammianus mentions the independence of the Gallic army soon after the speech in Florentius disquisition (XVI, 12, 14). Tacitus (c. 56/57-ca. Encyclopedia.com. scene, Ammianus would mention here the tribunal or speaking platform and describe the bands of high officials surrounding the imperial figure. Mr. Hamilton made a translation with an elegant lilt for a Roman history. t. klauser [Stuttgart 1941 (1950)] 1:386394. Web1) Ammianus Marcellinus, The Later Roman Empire (trans. 22The entire sentence that describes the soldiers interruption and its motivation merits quotation here because of the extremely compact manner in which Ammianus on the one hand softens the obvious fact that Julians speech has missed its mark, and on the other combines the speech tropes of divine favour and good generalship in a paradoxical elevation of the failed orator: Nec finiri perpessi, quae dicebantur, stridore dentium infrendentes ardoremque pugnandi hastis illidendo scuta monstrantes in hostem se duci iam conspicuum exorabant caelitis dei fauore fiduciaque sui et fortunati rectoris expertis uirtutibus freti atque, ut exitus docuit, salutaris quidam genius praesens ad dimicandum eos, dum addesse potuit, incitabat (XVI, 12, 13). 23 Thus, for example, Constantius at XVII, 13, 25: ore omnium fauorabilis, ut solebat. 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The surviving books of his history cover the years 353 to 378. On fortuna in the Res gestae, see C.P.T.Naud, Fortuna in Ammianus Marcellinus, AClass 7 (1964), p.70-89. Intense Roman patriotism led him to write in Latin and fill the void after Tacitus. First study of Constantine to make use of Kevin Wilkinson's re-dating of the poet Palladas to the reign of Constantine, disproving the predominant Show all Table of Contents Export Citation (s) Gaul at the time of Julians mission was a volatile region not only because it faced barbarian threats from without, but also because it had a notoriously independent-minded army populated by large numbers of native troops. This paper argues that this speech nevertheless plays a significant part in Ammianus strategy of building Julian up for imperial office, a role that scholars have failed to see because they have generally neglected the importance of formal speeches in Ammianus historiography a topos intimately connected with the fortunes of rhetoric in the late antique empire. All cited passages are from W. Ammiani Marcellini rerum gestarum libri qui supersunt, , Leipzig, Teubner, 1978. Julians death-bed speech (XXV, 3, 15) is delivered in, , but belongs to a different genre. By using LibraryThing you acknowledge that you have read and understand our. Articles such as this one were acquired and published with the primary aim of expanding the information on Britannica.com with greater speed and efficiency than has traditionally been possible. Ed. If there are two dates, the date of publication and appearance Introduction n recent decades, a number of important studies have clearly shown that paideia still retained in the later Roman Empire its full force as cultural ideal.1 These works state that the traditional literary, philosophical, and Firstly, the soldiers rely on the favour of the heavenly deity, secondly on their own self-confidence, thirdly on the tried valour of their fortunate leader. Webammianus marcellinus the later roman empire summary ; ammianus marcellinus the later roman empire summary. The whole book is famously heralded by Ammianus elegant disclaimer that though he might be accused of panegyric in relating Julians activity, he actually speaks the truth (XVI, 1, 3). 13The 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 magister peditum et equitum Marcellus, XVI, 7, who had refused him aid in battle, XVI, 4, 3). 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. 29 The view that Ammianus intends Julians speech to stand in the tradition of the reverse psychology exhortation, whereby a general speaks contrary to his own mind in order to test or otherwise deceive the soldiery into doing what he wants, is attractive, but seems only barely possible in the situation, and is not consistent with Ammianus characterization of Julian. Ammianus Marcellinus was the last great Roman historian, and his writings rank alongside those of Livy and Tacitus. In the process he will demonstrate once again the essential, albeit transformed, role of rhetoric in his late antique historiography. WebPublisher's summary. On the other hand, by cuing contrasts and concordances between the emperors focalized, and the objective judgement of his own third-person narrative, Ammianus develops an individualized subjective portrait of the man in purple. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. J. Matthews reading of the scene exposes the rupture that Ammianus strives to cover over here: this detail is a salutary reminder that the battle, Julians greatest single military triumph and the event that more than any other transformed his position in Gaul, was fought in circumstances in which he was overridden by his advisers, , p. 100, notes that the interpolation of Florentius disquisition and Ammianus, The discussion of the reception of the speech by the army and high command would seem to end the speech-scene. This is a tension that may increase or abate in the course of repeated speech scenes in an ongoing narrative. He opens with the pointed urget ratio and twice in the exordium (XVI, 12, 9-10) he voices the typical promise to be brief in his comments. Eumque, ut potiori reuerentia seruaretur, nec supra modum laudabant nec infra, quam decebat, atque ideo censorum uoces sunt aestimate, non militum (XV, 8, 15-17). 2023