Dexippus

Publius Herennius Dexippus (Greek: Δέξιππος; c. 210–273 AD), Greek historian, statesman and general, was an hereditary priest of the Eleusinian family of the Kerykes, and held the offices of archon basileus and eponymous in Athens.[1]

For the genus of jumping spiders, see Dexippus (spider). For the 4th-century philosopher, see Dexippus (philosopher).

Life

When the Heruli overran Greece and captured Athens (267), Dexippus showed great personal courage and revived the spirit of patriotism among his fellow-countrymen. A statue was set up in his honour, the base of which, with an inscription recording his services, has been preserved.[2] It is remarkable that the inscription is silent as to his military achievements.[1]

Photius speaks very highly of the style of Dexippus, whom he calls a second Thucydides.[1]

Works

Photius (cod. 82) mentions three historical works by Dexippus, of which considerable fragments remain:

  1. Τὰ μετ᾽ Ἀλέξανδρον (The Events after Alexander), apparently an epitome of a work by Arrian
  2. Σκυθικά (Scythica), a history of the wars of Rome with the Goths (called Scythians in archaizing language) in the 3rd century
  3. Χρονικὴ ἱστορία (Chronike Historia) in twelve books, probably covering a thousand years to the reign of the emperor Claudius Gothicus (270)[1]

The Chronicle was continued by Eunapius of Sardis, who opens his own history with a critique of his predecessor. The Chronicle also appears to be the primary source of the Historia Augusta[3] between 238 and 270, but Paschoud has demonstrated that the author of the Historia Augusta sometimes attributes material to Dexippus falsely, and so this evidence must be used with caution.[4]

References
  1.  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Dexippus, Publius Herennius". Encyclopædia Britannica. 8 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 141.
  2. Inscriptiones Graecae, II.2 3669.
  3. Barbara, Santa (2006). Violence in Late Antiquity: Perceptions and Practices. England: Ashgate. ISBN 978-075-465-498-8.
  4. Paschoud, "L'Histoire Auguste et Dexippe".

Sources
  • Gunther Martin: Dexipp von Athen. Edition, Übersetzung und begleitende Studien. Tübingen 2006 (edition and German translation).
  • Laura Mecella, Dexippo di Atene. Testimonianze e frammenti. Introduzione, edizione, tradizione e commento. Tivoli 2013.
  • Fergus Millar (1969) "P. Herennius Dexippus: The Greek World and the Third-century Invasions," Journal of Roman Studies 59: 12–29.
  • François Paschoud (1991) "L'Histoire Auguste et Dexippe," in G. Bonamente et al., eds., Historiae Augustae Colloquium Parisinum, 217–69.
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