Valerius Antias
, Roman historian, 1st cent. bce
Valerius Antias
, Roman historian, 1st cent. bce
- Tim Cornell
Extract
His work, known only through quotations and allusions in later authors, covered the history of Rome from the origins down to 91 bce at least. The reign of Numa *Pompilius was treated in book 2, and the *Hostilius Mancinus affair (136 bce) in book 22. Since the whole occupied at least 75 books, the scale of the narrative must have increased as it reached the author's own times. For earlier periods Antias' treatment was far less expansive than that of *Livy or *Dionysius(7). Livy mentions him frequently, but usually to disagree with him on points of detail and to criticize his tendency to exaggerate numbers (e.g. of battle casualties). He may nevertheless have been one of Livy's main sources; the evidence for this is not conclusive, but Rich has made a strong case for Antias as Livy's main source for the middle republic, and as the historian who introduced the characteristic framework adopted by Livy for the official transactions of each year, based on senatorial archives. In other respects the character of his work is hard to judge, and he remains a little-known figure. His first name is not recorded, and scholars disagree on the date at which he was writing. Most experts place him in the age of *Sulla (following Velleius 2.Subjects
- Roman History and Historiography