Eutropius (Eutropius)

Eutropius; Eutropius, IV in. n. e., Roman historian. Member of the campaign against the Persians, Julian the Apostate (363). When the emperor Valens (364-378 gg.) Served as magister memoriae (head of one of the most important court services). He is likely to address a letter Simmaha, indicating support for the mutual relations. At the request of the Emperor Valens wrote a sketch outline of the history of Roman history from the founding of the city (Breviarium ab urbe condita) in 10 books, describing the historical period from Romulus to the Emperor's death in 364 g Ioviana.

The author limited facts that are considered important: for the period of the republic - wars, which had the Roman state, for the period of the empire - a brief description of some emperors. The source of information about the period before the Emperor Augustus he served primarily retelling of books in Libya, after August, he used the biographies of Suetonius and the lost history of the empire, which also received Aurelius Victor. Like other works of this genre, the work of E. very popular (in 380 g. Payon was translated into Greek), as articulated in an accessible form the necessary minimum of historical knowledge for people to pursue careers in the army or civil administration, but did not have sufficient training. Sketch E. at a later time became a favorite of school textbook. His used: Jerome, Orosius, Cassiodorus, and medieval chroniclers. This work was continued by Paul Deacon to 553 g. under the title of Roman history, and Landolfi Sagaks brought it up to 820 g.