Publius Herennius Dexippus (; c. 210–273 AD), Greeks 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.
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.
[ Inscriptiones Graecae, II.2 3669.] It is remarkable that the inscription is silent as to his military achievements.
Photius speaks very highly of the style of Dexippus, whom he calls a second Thucydides.
Works
Photius (
cod. 82) mentions three historical works by Dexippus, of which considerable fragments remain:
-
Τὰ μετ᾽ Ἀλέξανδρον ( The Events after Alexander), apparently an epitome of a work by Arrian
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Σκυθικά ( Scythica), a history of the wars of Rome with the Goths (called Scythians in archaizing language) in the 3rd century
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Χρονικὴ ἱστορία ( Chronike Historia) in twelve books, probably covering a thousand years to the reign of the emperor Claudius II (270)
The Chronicle was continued by Eunapius, who opens his own history with a critique of his predecessor. The Chronicle also appears to be the primary source of the Historia Augusta[Paschoud, "L'Histoire Auguste et Dexippe".]
Sources
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Martin, Gunther (2006). Dexipp von Athen. Edition, Übersetzung und begleitende Studien. Tübingen (edition and German translation).
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Mecella, Laura (2013). Dexippo di Atene. Testimonianze e frammenti. Introduzione, edizione, tradizione e commento. Tivoli.
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Fergus Millar (1969). "P. Herennius Dexippus: The Greek World and the Third-century Invasions," Journal of Roman Studies 59: 12–29.
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Paschoud, François (1991). "L 'Histoire Auguste et Dexippe," in G. Bonamente et al., eds., Historiae Augustae Colloquium Parisinum, 217–69.
External links
