Epitome

As Epitome (or Epitoma Latin, from Greek ἐπιτομή, AltGr. Pronunciation Epitome, demolition ',' excerpt ',' excerpt ') is referred to an ancient plant, which is a short excerpt from a larger work. In ancient times, among other things, the extensive historical work of Titus Livius was epitomisiert ( Livy Epitome or Oxyrhynchus Epitome, which is quite patchy); next to it in the 4th century AD summaries of the work of Livy were made that the lost books of importance are particularly concerning for us ( Periochae ).

In addition, the Epitome, a different literary genre called, called in Latin, usually as a breviary, which scarce Latin historical works are meant. These do not constitute summary, these are rather brief, separate works. In Roman literature, several Breviarien were written mainly in Late Antiquity. In the area of ​​Breviarien are the historical works of Florus and to call in late antiquity the historical works of Aurelius Victor ( Caesars, of which, however, not the Epitome de Caesaribus dates ) Eutrops or Rufius Festus. The above late antique Breviatoren of the 4th century used for the imperial period apparently a common main source, the so-called Enmannsche imperial history.

The flourishing of Latin Breviarienliteratur in the 4th century AD, is probably also due to the public's taste, because obviously could not be provided extensive knowledge of history, but also on the flattening of the historiography in Latin -speaking world after the 2nd century AD A weighty exception is the comprehensive and ambitious work of Ammianus Marcellinus, otherwise dominated the Latin West during this time which is easier to read Breviarien. Following Ammianus ( or shortly before, see Virius Nicomachus Flavianus ) but extensive Latin historical works were written back (see Sulpicius Alexander and Renatus Profuturus Frieridus ), but broke off again from the late 5th to early 6th century; classical historiography should be in the Eastern Empire, where they had been continuously maintained, however, persist into the early 7th century.

In Byzantine times some other historical works, which are called Epitome emerged (see John Zonaras and Logothetenchronik ).

Besides historical works also emerged shortened works of the law (such as the Lex Romana Visigothorum, also known as the Breviarium Alarici ).

In the recent literature Epitome called a short epitome of a science, or epitomieren epitomisieren summarize a bit short, bring in a short excerpt, the epitomator the author of an epitome.