DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18096#0154
his companion on so many journeys, his writings would have
thrown much light on this period of history. At a later date
we have Dion Cassius, who devoted ten years to collecting
materials for his history of Rome, written in Greek and pub-
lished in eighty books. His scholarship was of high repute, and
it is a matter of regret that fragments only of the last twenty
books have been handed down to us, the remainder having been
mutilated or lost. As governor of Roman Africa in the reign
of Alexander Severus, A.D. 220-235, he had unusual oppor-
tunities of recording his impressions of the country and its
inhabitants. Amongst later authors ^Elius Spartianus and
Julius Capitolinus, who flourished in the days of Diocletian,
may be regarded as the most reliable authorities of their time,
portions of their principal works being embodied in the volumes
entitled Scrip tores Historic? Augusta. The life of Hadrian,
written by the former, covers, it should be observed, no more
than a dozen pages, and cannot be definitely classed as either
history or biography, but, as a study of character, throws con-
siderable light upon the career of this very remarkable Emperor.
These authors were followed by Aurelius Victor in the time of
Constantius, and at a later period by Zosimus, a man of high
distinction in the army of Theodosius, adding considerable
lustre to a long line of Roman historians and commentators. The
list may be closed with the name of Xiphilin,a learned monk of
the eleventh century, who devoted some fifteen pages to a study
of Hadrian's career in his compendium of the last forty-five
books of Dion Cassius. Occasional notes by other authors of
varying repute should also be acknowledged. Fortunately
archaeology comes to our aid where written records fail, and,
with the further assistance rendered by inscriptions on the coins
of his reign, we are able to obtain a fair idea of the intellectual
as well as personal character of the renowned Hadrian. No less
than fifty-three coins commemorative of his visits to the various
provinces of the Empire were issued during the latter part of
his reign. Those relating to his African visits are seven in
number, with the following letters on the reverse : Africa ; Resti-
tutori Ajricce; Adventui Aug. Africes; Mauretania SC.; Ad-
ventui Aug. Mauretanice S.C.; Exercitus Mauretanicus S.C.;
Restitutori Mauretanitz S.C-1 They indicate the countries
1 J. H. von Eckhel, Trait/ eUmentaire de Nitmismatiqtit (Faris. 1825), i.
486-501.
thrown much light on this period of history. At a later date
we have Dion Cassius, who devoted ten years to collecting
materials for his history of Rome, written in Greek and pub-
lished in eighty books. His scholarship was of high repute, and
it is a matter of regret that fragments only of the last twenty
books have been handed down to us, the remainder having been
mutilated or lost. As governor of Roman Africa in the reign
of Alexander Severus, A.D. 220-235, he had unusual oppor-
tunities of recording his impressions of the country and its
inhabitants. Amongst later authors ^Elius Spartianus and
Julius Capitolinus, who flourished in the days of Diocletian,
may be regarded as the most reliable authorities of their time,
portions of their principal works being embodied in the volumes
entitled Scrip tores Historic? Augusta. The life of Hadrian,
written by the former, covers, it should be observed, no more
than a dozen pages, and cannot be definitely classed as either
history or biography, but, as a study of character, throws con-
siderable light upon the career of this very remarkable Emperor.
These authors were followed by Aurelius Victor in the time of
Constantius, and at a later period by Zosimus, a man of high
distinction in the army of Theodosius, adding considerable
lustre to a long line of Roman historians and commentators. The
list may be closed with the name of Xiphilin,a learned monk of
the eleventh century, who devoted some fifteen pages to a study
of Hadrian's career in his compendium of the last forty-five
books of Dion Cassius. Occasional notes by other authors of
varying repute should also be acknowledged. Fortunately
archaeology comes to our aid where written records fail, and,
with the further assistance rendered by inscriptions on the coins
of his reign, we are able to obtain a fair idea of the intellectual
as well as personal character of the renowned Hadrian. No less
than fifty-three coins commemorative of his visits to the various
provinces of the Empire were issued during the latter part of
his reign. Those relating to his African visits are seven in
number, with the following letters on the reverse : Africa ; Resti-
tutori Ajricce; Adventui Aug. Africes; Mauretania SC.; Ad-
ventui Aug. Mauretanice S.C.; Exercitus Mauretanicus S.C.;
Restitutori Mauretanitz S.C-1 They indicate the countries
1 J. H. von Eckhel, Trait/ eUmentaire de Nitmismatiqtit (Faris. 1825), i.
486-501.