Appian
Author of The Civil Wars
About the Author
Born probably during the reign of Domitian (81--96), Appian was an Alexandrian Greek who rose to high imperial office under Antoninus Pius (137--61). He wrote a history of Rome's wars from the founding of Rome to the reign of Trajan, arranged ethnographically. Of the 24 original books, or papyrus show more rolls of standard length written in Greek, 16 have survived essentially complete. Appian was not an original historian but a derivative and pedestrian narrator who understood only imperfectly the institutions of the former Republic about which he wrote. However, he used sources for his work that made it valuable modern scholars. This is particularly true of his Civil Wars, describing the last convulsions of the Republic and the rise of Octavian. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Works by Appian
Storie di proscritti 4 copies
The Civil Wars (English) 4 copies
The Foreign Wars (English) 4 copies
Bellorum civilium Vol. 5 3 copies
The Foreign Wars (Greek) 2 copies
The Civil Wars (Greek) 2 copies
Appiani 2 copies
Римская история 1 copy
Rimski građanski ratovi 1 copy
Historia Rzymska 1 copy
Historia rzymska. T. 2 1 copy
Historia rzymska. T. 1 1 copy
Sobre Iberia y Anibal 1 copy
Războaiele civile 1 copy
Appiani Historia Romanna 1 copy
Romanorum liber Libycus 1 copy
Appianou Alexandreōs Rhōmaika = Appiani Alexandrini Romanarum historiarum pars prior [-altera] ... 1 copy
Associated Works
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Αππιανος
- Other names
- Appian
- Birthdate
- c. 95
- Date of death
- c. 165
- Gender
- male
- Occupations
- Official (various positions in the province of Egypt)
Advocate (pleading cases before the emperors)
Procurator (probably in Egypt)
author - Organizations
- Equestrian Order
- Relationships
- Fronto, Marcus Cornelius (friend)
- Short biography
- Appianus of Alexandria, commonly known as Appian, was a Roman historian who flourished during the reigns of Trajan, Hadrian, and Antoninus Pius. His "Roman History" is particularly valuable for the period of the civil wars.
- Nationality
- Roman Empire
- Birthplace
- Alexandria, Egypten
- Places of residence
- Alexandria, Egypt
Rome, Italy - Map Location
- Egypt
Members
Reviews
This is how Appian should be done in English. He has a way of dropping you straight in as he’s not about to start explaining things that would have been common knowledge 1900 years ago. This edition has so many notes, appendices, and a really good introduction. It’s a shame the earlier parts of the book are only available from Loeb.
Fast-paced at times, exceptionally vivid and intense. It’s got everything, really. Spartacus, Cleopatra. Loads of famous Romans. Men who rank as high as show more anyone. Particularly good is the whole Julius Caesar part. You can clearly see it all in your mind’s eye, if you have one. Also worth looking out for are the proscriptions of Octavian and Mark Antony which are done as a montage.
It’s a cautionary tale. At this point America has been changed out of all recognition by her own success and has now herself become the prey. Yet she still has the constitution of a city state and this has left her open to the predations of men with a lust for ultimate power. Watch helplessly as the Republic falls. Sorry, I’ve just realised I wrote ‘America’ just now. I did of course mean Rome. Rome has been changed out of all recognition. show less
Fast-paced at times, exceptionally vivid and intense. It’s got everything, really. Spartacus, Cleopatra. Loads of famous Romans. Men who rank as high as show more anyone. Particularly good is the whole Julius Caesar part. You can clearly see it all in your mind’s eye, if you have one. Also worth looking out for are the proscriptions of Octavian and Mark Antony which are done as a montage.
It’s a cautionary tale. At this point America has been changed out of all recognition by her own success and has now herself become the prey. Yet she still has the constitution of a city state and this has left her open to the predations of men with a lust for ultimate power. Watch helplessly as the Republic falls. Sorry, I’ve just realised I wrote ‘America’ just now. I did of course mean Rome. Rome has been changed out of all recognition. show less
Like volume I, a bit of a mixed bag, but when it’s good it’s really good.
The Illyrian Wars suffers from the same problems that his Spanish book does: disconnected and not quite a whole. I think Appian must have lacked the sources to pull everything together.
The Syrian and Mithridatic Wars: terrific. They read almost like novellas. Really focused on the narrative. If his history of Hannibal is anything to go by Appian has jettisoned any events that detract from from that. Time’s heavily show more telescoped. The character of Mithridates alone is worth the price of admission. Just the most astounding man.
I’m not sure that Appian is the best place to start with Roman history, at least not in this form. Appian’s not about to explain anything that would have been common knowledge in his day. I know a bit about the history of the region so was able to roughly orient myself, but there are no notes in these Loeb editions and I’m sure there’s a lot I’ve missed. Penguin has an edition of the Civil Wars equivalent to volumes II & IV and think I might switch to that. show less
The Illyrian Wars suffers from the same problems that his Spanish book does: disconnected and not quite a whole. I think Appian must have lacked the sources to pull everything together.
The Syrian and Mithridatic Wars: terrific. They read almost like novellas. Really focused on the narrative. If his history of Hannibal is anything to go by Appian has jettisoned any events that detract from from that. Time’s heavily show more telescoped. The character of Mithridates alone is worth the price of admission. Just the most astounding man.
I’m not sure that Appian is the best place to start with Roman history, at least not in this form. Appian’s not about to explain anything that would have been common knowledge in his day. I know a bit about the history of the region so was able to roughly orient myself, but there are no notes in these Loeb editions and I’m sure there’s a lot I’ve missed. Penguin has an edition of the Civil Wars equivalent to volumes II & IV and think I might switch to that. show less
Kind of a slog between the Ides and the founding of the second triumvirate, otherwise great reading.
Appian: Roman History, Vol. III, The Civil Wars, Books 1-3.26 (Loeb Classical Library No. 4) by Appian
Roman history. The Civil Wars are all here. (There were more than that between Caesar and Pompey.)
Thank God we didn't live in those times. It held my interest.
Thank God we didn't live in those times. It held my interest.
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