À propos du nouveau livre de T. D. Barnes sur Ammien Marcellin

A critical review of the book which Timothy Barnes has devoted to Ammianus Marcellinus considers in turn the problems of historical distortion, Latin education, personal aspects of the author (geographic origin, environment, personality, religious position), and his sources. A long excursus on Ammianus’ use of clausulae, while correcting the ideas of R. G. Hall and St. M. Oberhelman on the matter of rythmics in literary Latin of the Late Empire, refutes the idea that the historian carries over a Greek system into Latin, and on the other hand confirms his excellent knowledge of Latin language and literature. [Rédaction, translated by M. Jones]