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Julius Obsequens

Julius Obsequens was a Roman writer active in the 4th or early 5th centuries AD, during late antiquity. His sole known work is the Prodigiorum liber (Book of Prodigies), a tabulation of the wonders and portents (prodigia) that had occurred in the Roman Republic and early Principate in the years 24912 BC. The material for the Prodigiorum liber was largely excerpted from the 1st century AD Ab Urbe Condita Libri of the Augustan historian Livy, which chronicled the history of the Roman state from its origin to the beginning of the imperial period, though Julius used it selectively and sometimes added interpretations of the omens and incidents he included. There is a common view that Julius only knew Livy's text wholly or in part from an epitome, but there is scant evidence of this.

Also recorded as Iulius Obsequens

Julius Obsequens

Born
400 · Rome.
Died
301
Nationality
Ancient Rome
Occupation
historian · writer · poet
Known for
On Prodigies
Languages
Latin

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Julius Obsequens was a Roman writer active in the 4th or early 5th centuries AD, during late antiquity. His sole known work is the Prodigiorum liber (Book of Prodigies), a tabulation of the wonders and portents (prodigia) that had occurred in the Roman Republic and early Principate in the years 24912 BC. The material for the Prodigiorum liber was largely excerpted from the 1st century AD Ab Urbe Condita Libri of the Augustan historian Livy, which chronicled the history of the Roman state from its origin to the beginning of the imperial period, though Julius used it selectively and sometimes added interpretations of the omens and incidents he included. There is a common view that Julius only knew Livy's text wholly or in part from an epitome, but there is scant evidence of this.

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wikidata · Q682860 · wikipedia · Julius Obsequens

In this article

  1. 01Biography
  2. 02Notes, references and evidence

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