Herodian

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For the grammarian, see Aelius Herodianus.

Herodian or Herodianus of Syria (c. 170-240) was a minor Roman civil servant who wrote a colourful Roman History in eight books for the years 180 to 238. His work is not entirely reliable, although his relatively unbiased account of Elagabalus is more useful than that of Dio Cassius. He was a Greek, though he appears to have lived for a considerable period in Rome, but without holding any public office. From his work, which is still extant, we gather that he was still living at an advanced age in the reign of Gordianus III, who ascended the throne AD 238. Beyond this we know nothing respecting his life.

His history extends over the period from the death of M. Aurelius (AD 180) to the commencement of the reign of Gordianus III. (AD 238), and bears the title: "History of the Empire From the Death of Marcus". He himself informs us (i. 1. § 3, ii. 15. § 7) that the events of this period had occurred in his own lifetime. Photius (Codex 99) gives an outline of the contents of the work, and passes a flattering encomium on the style of Herodian, which he describes as clear, vigorous and agreeable, preserving a happy medium between an utter disregard of art and elegance and a profuse employment of the artifices and pretti-nesses which were known under the name of Atticism, as well as between boldness and bombast ; adding that not many historical writers are his superiors. He appears to have had Thucydides before him to some extent as a model, both for style and for the general composition of his work, like him, introducing here and there speeches wholly or in part imaginary. In spite of occasional inaccuracies in chronology and geography, his narrative is in the main truthful and impartial. Some charge him with showing too great a partiality for Pertinax.

The best editions of Herodian are those by Irmisch, Leipzig, 1789 —1805, 5 vols. 8vo.; by F. A. Wolf, Halle, 1792, 8vo.; and by Bekker, Berlin, 1826. Notices of other editions will be found in Fabricius (Bibl. Graec. vol. vi. p. 287, &c.) and Hoffinann (Lex. Bibl. vol. ii. p. 362, &c.). (Wolf's Narratio de Herodiano et Libro ejus, prefixed to his edition of Herodian ; Vossius, de Hist. Graec. p. 284, ed. Westermann.)