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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superb History from a Dependable First-Hand Source, December 21, 2005
This review is from: Ammianus Marcellinus: Roman History, Volume I, Books 14-19 (Loeb Classical Library No. 300) (English and Latin Edition) (Hardcover)
Here is volume one (Books 14-19, Loeb 300) of Ammianus' superb Roman History, which eloquently covers, in fine detail, the events of the empire from AD 353-359. The following volumes, two (Books 20-26, Loeb 315) and three (Books 27-31, Loeb 331), also extensively document the period spanning from AD 360-378. Now, Ammianus Marcellinus is the primary source for this era; he gained all his material through contemporary first-hand sources and documents, or through hearsay. At other times, Ammianus provides us with intricate and moving eyewitness accounts. To say the least, without these treasured books, scholars would have to rely on archaeological data and the scanty and unsatisfying accounts handed down to us in chronicles. As for Ammianus' merits as an author, he has many. His narrative is gripping and pathos laden; and it is delivered with clarity and effectiveness. His characterizations are vivid, picturesque and quite believable. Furthermore, Ammianus writes seemingly without bias or party-favor and he has a beautiful vision of eternal Rome, and of Fortune, Fate and Providence. Ammianus fits very comfortably in the pantheon of Latin literary giants like Cicero, Sallust, Tacitus and Livy, to name a few. In short, the Roman History enthusiast cannot go without these books.
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5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Archaic, but complete, March 3, 2009
This review is from: Ammianus Marcellinus: Roman History, Volume I, Books 14-19 (Loeb Classical Library No. 300) (English and Latin Edition) (Hardcover)
The Loeb edition of Ammianus is superior to its Penguin compatriot only in that the entire text is present, albeit in 3 volumes. However, the translation in this edition is from the mid-1920s. It is full of outdated terminology and a rather tough read. Translations don't have to age badly, for example, look at William Whiston's translation of Josephus. However, this translations has aged badly, and you'll want to keep your Latin dictionary close so you can check out what certain terms mean in the Latin text, as the English is likely to be more confusing than anything. Ammianus is well informed on military matters, but translating Roman military terms into 19th and 20th century British military terms does not work.
If you want to read Ammianus, there is no perfect road for you. The Penguin edition is incomplete, and the Loeb is ancient, and rather pricey.
3 stars for Loeb not updating the translation.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Late Rome's Greatest Historian, October 28, 2011
This review is from: Ammianus Marcellinus: Roman History, Volume I, Books 14-19 (Loeb Classical Library No. 300) (English and Latin Edition) (Hardcover)
Since there are so many of these darn things the review shall be divided into three sections. First, a brief description of the Loeb series of books and their advantages/disadvantages. Second shall be my thoughts on the author himself, his accuracy, as well as his style and the style of his translator. This is of course only my opinion and should be treated as such. The final part shall review what this particular book actually covers. The Loeb series date back to the turn of the last century. They are designed for people with at least some knowledge of Greek or Latin. They are a sort of compromise between a straight English translation and an annotated copy of the original text. On the left page is printed the text in Greek or Latin depending on the language of the writer and on the right side is the text in English. For somebody who knows even a little Greek or Latin these texts are invaluable. You can try to read the text in the original language knowing that you can correct yourself by looking on the next page or you can read the text in translation and check the translation with the original for more detail. While some of the translations are excellent mostly they are merely serviceable since they are designed more as an aid to translation rather than a translation in themselves. Most of them follow the Greek or Latin very closely. These books are also very small, maybe just over a quarter the size of your average hardcover book. This means that you'll need to buy more than just one book to read a complete work. They are also somewhat pricey considering their size. The Loeb Collection is very large but most of the more famous works can be found in better (and cheaper) translations elsewhere. If you want to read a rarer book or read one in the original language then you can't do better than the Loeb Editions. There are three volumes of Ammianus' surviving works. Ammianus is the Tacitus of the 4th Century. His work originally picked up where Tacitus left off but only the portion from 353-378 AD has survived. His work is easy to read, generally accurate, and filled with exciting events and interesting characters. Ammianus was a career soldier who was an active participant in many of the events he describes. He knew personally many of the people who's deeds he relates. The real hero of his book is the emperor Julian. Julian the Apostate is a very sympathetic character to modern minds, and Ammianus both liked and admired him. Further sources on Julian's campaigns include his own writings ( Volume I, Volume II, and Volume III), Zosimus' Historia Nova, and the remains of Eunapius in 'The Classicising Roman Historians.' Ammianus was the last great Latin historian. All of those other sources are in Greek. A better translation would probably be the Penguin one called The Later Roman Empire, although the translation here is alright. The other Loeb editions are available here and here. This volume begins with Julian's brother Gallus and his disgraceful actions while ruling as Caesar in Antioch. It details Julian's ascension to the position of Caesar (Junior Emperor) and his campaigns against the Germans, including the famous victory at Strasbourg. On the Eastern front it details Rome's conflicts with Persia and Constantius' attempts to handle them. the highpoint of this book is undoubtedly the description of the siege of Amida. Ammianus was there and he narrates his adventures in and around the city with a great deal of personal touches. This is as close as you get to having a Roman military memoir, although the Greeks have their own in Xenophon's Anabasis.
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