Ammianus Marcellinus, Res Gestae, John C. Rolfe (Translator), 22.16.24

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[24] Moreover, it is a well-known fact, as the ancient annals show, that all Egypt was formerly ruled by their ancestral kings; but after Antony and Cleopatra were vanquished in the sea-fight at Actium, the country fell into the power of Octavianus Augustus and received the name of a province.¹ We acquired the dryer part of Libya by the last will of King Apion; we received Cyrene, with the remaining cities of Libya-Pentapolis, through the generosity of Ptolemy.² After this long digression, I shall return to the order of my narrative.

Res Gestae. Ammianus Marcellinus. John C. Rolfe (Translator). Cambridge, MA. 1935-1940.

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Current edition Perseus

History (English) (Ammianus Marcellinus. Ammianus Marcellinus, with an English translation, Vols. I-III. Rolfe, John C., translator. Cambridge, MA; London: Harvard University Press; W. Heinemann, 1935-1940 (printing).)

Editions (1)

Res Gestae Perseus (Ammianus Marcellinus. Ammianus Marcellinus, with an English translation, Vols. I-III. Rolfe, John C., editor. Cambridge, MA; London: Harvard University Press; W. Heinemann, 1935-1940 (printing).) — 22.16.24 focus

[24] Id autem notum est (ut annales veteres monstrant), quod Aegyptus omnis sub avitis¹ erat antea regibus, sed superatis apud Actium bello navali Antonio et Cleopatra, provinciae nomen accepit, ab Octaviano Augusto possessa. Aridiorem Libyam supremo Apionos regis consecuti sumus arbitrio, Cyrenas cum residuis civitatibus Libyae Pentapoleos, Ptolomaei liberalitate suscepimus. Evectus longius ad ordinem remeabo coeptorum.

Notes on the current edition

History

1. It differed, however, from other provinces, in being ruled by a prefect of equestrian rank. See 16, 6, note.

2. This Ptolemy is identical with (Ptolemaeus) Apion just mentioned, following, as the similarity in language indicates, Rufius Festus, Brev. 13.

Cyrenas. . . antiquioris Ptolomaei liberalitate suscepimus; Libyam supremo Apionis regis arbitrio sumus adsecuti

. Ptolemaeus Apion, king of Cyrene, died in 96 B.C., but Cyrene first became a Roman province in 74 B.C.; cf. Eutropius, vi. 11, 2, qui rex eius (= Cyrenae) fuerat.

Ammianus Marcellinus Res Gestae 22.16.24

John C. Rolfe (Translator)

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