Magnus of Karrhai

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Magnus von Karrhai was a late ancient Roman historian in the 4th century.

Magnus came from Karrhai (Latin Carrhae ) in Mesopotamia . In 363 he accompanied Emperor Julian on his campaign against the Persian Sassanids . This campaign ended with a heavy defeat for the Romans, who had to conclude an inglorious peace treaty under Jovian .

After his return, Magnus (like some others, see for example Eutychianos ) wrote a report on Julian's Persian War . The work has not survived , but a longer excerpt has come down to us in the Chronicle of John Malalas . Magnus' work also appears to have been used by later historians, perhaps Ammianus Marcellinus , but most likely Zosimos . However, the question of whether these two historians had a common source (and if so, whether it is Magnus) has not yet been properly clarified, let alone questions of detail. Magnus von Karrhai could also be identical to the Magnus named by Ammianus.

literature

  • Walter R. Chalmers: Eunapius, Ammianus Marcellinus, and Zosimus on Julian's Persian Expedition . In: The Classical Quarterly , New Series 10, 1960, pp. 152-160.
  • Charles W. Fornara: Julian's Persian Expedition in Ammianus and Zosimus . In: Journal of Hellenic Studies 111, 1991, pp. 1-15.
  • Walter Klein: Studies on Ammianus Marcellinus . Leipzig 1914, especially p. 58ff. (Attempt to reconstruct the fragments).

Remarks

  1. ↑ See also Fragments of the Greek Historians , No. 225.
  2. ↑ Ludwig Mendelssohn pleaded for Magnus as a common source in his Zosmios edition of 1887 (p. XXXIXff.).
  3. ↑ See, inter alia, Fornara, Julian's Persian Expedition .
  4. ↑ Ammian 24: 4, 23. See also Fornara, Julian's Persian Expedition , pp. 14f.
personal data
SURNAME Magnus of Karrhai
BRIEF DESCRIPTION late antique Roman historian
DATE OF BIRTH 4th century
DATE OF DEATH after 363