Read Appian’s[197] _Roman History_, in three parts and twenty-four
books. The first treats of the seven kings, Romulus, Numa
Pompilius, Ancus Hostilius,[198] Ancus Marcius (grandson of Numa),
Tarquinius (Priscus), Servius Tullius, Lucius Tarquinius, son of
Tarquinius,[199] of whose acts and deeds it contains an account.
The first of these, the founder and oekist of the city, although
his rule was rather patriarchal than tyrannical, was nevertheless
assassinated, or, according to others, disappeared from view. The
second, in no way inferior as a ruler to his predecessor, or perhaps
even his superior, died at the age of.... The third was struck by
lightning. The fourth succumbed to disease. The fifth was murdered
by shepherds. The sixth was also murdered. The seventh was deposed
and driven out of the city for his tyranny. After this, the monarchy
was abolished, and its powers transferred to consuls. Such is the
contents of the first book, which is entitled _The Book of the
Kings_. The second book, entitled _Italica_, gives an account of the
history of Italy with the exception of that part which is situated
on the Ionian Sea. The following book, _Samnitica_, relates the
wars of the Romans with the Samnites,[200] a powerful nation and an
enemy difficult to conquer whom it took the Romans eighty years to
subdue, and the other nations who fought on their side. The fourth,
_Celtica_, relates the wars of the Romans with the Celts (Gauls).
The remaining books are similarly named. The fifth contains the
History of Sicily and the other Islands, the sixth gives an account
of Iberian affairs, the seventh of the Hannibalic wars, the eighth
of Libyan affairs (dealing with Carthage and Numidia), the ninth
of Macedonian affairs, the tenth of Greek and Ionian affairs,
the eleventh of Syrian and Parthian affairs, the twelfth of the
Mithradatic war. Up to this point the relations and wars of the
Romans with foreign nations are set forth in this order. The books
that follow describe the civil wars and disturbances amongst the
Romans themselves. They are entitled the first and second books of
the Civil Wars and so on down to the ninth, which is the twenty-first
book of the whole. The twenty-second book is called _Hekatontaëtia_
(the history of one hundred years), the twenty-third, _Dacica_, on
Dacian affairs, the twenty-fourth, _Arabica_, on Arabian affairs.
Such are the divisions of the entire work. The account of the civil
wars contains first the war between Marius and Sulla, then that
between Pompey and Julius Caesar, after their rivalry took the form
of violent hostilities, until fortune favoured Caesar and Pompey
was defeated and put to flight. Next, it describes the proceedings
of Antony and Octavius Caesar (also known as Augustus) against the
murderers of Julius Caesar, at the time when many distinguished
Romans were put to death without a trial. Lastly, the desperate
conflict between Antony and Augustus, accompanied by terrible
slaughter, in which victory declared for Augustus. Antony, deserted
by his allies, was driven a fugitive to Egypt, where he died by his
own hand. The last book of the Civil Wars describes how Egypt came
into the power of the Romans, and how Augustus became the sole ruler
of Rome.
The history begins with Aeneas, the son of Anchises, the son of
Capys, who lived in the time of the Trojan war. After the capture
of Troy Aeneas fled, and after much wandering landed on the coast
of Italy at a place called Laurentum, where his camp is shown, and
the coast is called after him Troja. Faunus, son of Mars, who was
at the time ruler of the original Italian inhabitants, gave his
daughter Lavinia in marriage to Aeneas and a piece of land 400
stades in circumference, on which Aeneas built a city and called it
Lavinium after his wife Lavinia. Three years later, Faunus died,
and Aeneas, who succeeded to the throne by right of kinship, gave
the aborigines[201] the name of Latins from his father-in-law
Latinus Faunus. After another three years, Aeneas was killed in
battle against the Rutulians of Tyrrhenia, to whose king Lavinia
had formerly been betrothed. He was succeeded by Euryleon, surnamed
Ascanius, the son of Aeneas by Creusa the daughter of Priam, who
was his wife at Troy. According to others, however, the Ascanius
who succeeded him was his son by Lavinia. Ascanius died four years
after he had founded the city of Alba with a body of settlers from
Lavinium, and Silvius became king. The son of this Silvius is said
to have been Aeneas Silvius, and the son of Aeneas Latinus Silvius.
His descendants were Capys, Capetus, Tiberinus, and Agrippa, said
to be the father of Romulus, who was killed by lightning, leaving
a son Aventinus, who had a son named Procas. All these are said to
have been surnamed Silvius. Procas had two children, the elder named
Numitor, the younger Amulius. When the elder succeeded to the throne
on the death of his father, the younger got possession of it by force
and crime, killed his brother’s son Egestus, and made his daughter
Rhea a priestess, so that she might not have children. But Numitor’s
mildness and gentleness saved him from the plot against his life.
Silvia broke her vows and became pregnant,[202] and was seized by
Amulius for punishment, her two sons being given to some shepherds to
be thrown into the river Tiber near at hand. The infants, Romulus and
Romus,[203] were descended from Aeneas on the mother’s side; the name
of their father was unknown.[204]
As already stated, the history begins with a rapid account of Aeneas
and his descendants; but from the time of Romulus, the oekist[205] of
the city, it gives full details of events to the reign of Augustus,
and, here and there, as late as the time of Trajan.
Appian was an Alexandrian by birth, and at first an advocate at
Rome, being subsequently raised to the dignity of a procurator[206]
under the emperors. His style is dry and free from redundancies;
as an historian, he is trustworthy to the best of his ability, and
an excellent authority on military matters; the speeches which he
introduces are admirably calculated to encourage soldiers when
dispirited, to restrain them when too ardent, to express and
faithfully represent the emotions and feelings. He flourished in the
reigns of Trajan and Hadrian.