Anonymus Valesianus

As Anonymus Valesianus (also Excerptum Valesianum [ I and II] ) is a Latin text refers to the ( 1603-1676 Henri de Valois ) was mitpubliziert in his 1636 edition of the publish of Ammianus Marcellinus work of the French scholar Henricus Valesius.

The name is slightly misleading as there are two fonts ( therefore also referred to sometimes as anonymity Valesiani ), which also have no subject in common, except that they report both on sections of late antique history. The lyrics come from a medieval manuscript collection, which was probably made ​​in the 9th century in Verona.

Anonymus I Valesianus

In the so-called Origo Constantini ( Chapters 1 to 35 of Anonymus Valesianus ) is a text that deals with the life of Emperor Constantine the Great and the time 305-337 describes. The author is unknown, but was apparently Heath and the font should have probably written shortly after the death of the emperor (337), although dated to the late 4th century was considered. The few Christian references were appended later from the historical work of Orosius. The author judges but rather balanced over Constantine and despite the brevity of the text provides some important information that can be found nowhere else. He also discusses the often neglected early days of Constantine, otherwise especially the political history of the time of dissolution of the Roman Tetrarchy and after. So the number of troops at the Battle of Cibalae is only given in this work.

As a source probably served a now lost biography of Constantine (perhaps Praxagoras ), which was also later used by John Zonaras. Otherwise, there are many similarities with other late ancient sources, Eutropius or Aurelius Victor about with. This is most likely due to a common source. It could be explained by the so-called Enmannsche imperial history. Some researchers even considered that the Origo is a fragment from the Enmannschen imperial history, but this is doubtful.

Anonymous Valesianus II

The second work (chapters 36-96 of the text, by Theodor Mommsen Chronica Theodericiana called ) deals with the history of Italy from the rule of Julius Nepos to the death of the Ostrogoth Theodoric the Great ( 474-526 ). The concise text is an important source for the reign of Theodoric. The anonymous author also wrote probably about the middle of the 6th century and was anti - Arian. Stylistically, the vulgar Latin is lower estimate than the Origo Constantini Imperatoris.

Although the author largely the rule of Theodoric and the balancing policy between Goths and Romans praises, he judges at the end rather maliciously about the king; so could not write this. This is mainly due to the Arian creed of Theodoric and his Goths, but hardly any ' anti- Germanic " mood. However, the king, similar to other late antique sources ( Prokopios of Caesarea, Liber Pontificalis ) is, since the execution of the philosopher Boethius by the author judged negative.

The author used various sources from late antiquity as the Vita Sancti Severini of Eugippius and the fasting of Ravenna. Possibly written by the author, apparently a Catholic Romans, his work in Ravenna, which in late antiquity and was very important. By some researchers was considered already in the 19th century that the work is an extract from the now lost chronicle of Maximian of Ravenna, but this must remain uncertain. Roberto Cessi suspected first time in 1913, that it may well be, by two different authors, what an explanation for the different valuation of Theodoric would (Chapter 36-78 or 79-96 ). In contrast, however plausible objections were raised in the modern research that tend to favor a single author who wanted to deliberately convey an ambivalent image of the reign of Theodoric.

Editions and translations

• Ingemar King: Origo Constantini: Anonymous Valesianus 1 ET Trier Histor. Research. Trier 1987 ( with German translation and commentary ).
• Ingemar King: From the time of Theodoric the Great. Introduction, text, translation and commentary of an anonymous source. University Press, Darmstadt 1997.
• Samuel NC Lieu, Dominic Montserrat: From Constantine to Julian: Pagan and Byzantine Views. A Source History. New York 1996 ( for Origo Constantini see pp. 39ff. ).