New Books Network Justin Stover and George Woudhuysen, "The Lost History of Sextus Aurelius Victor" (Edinburgh UP, 2023)
Oct 13, 2025
In this engaging discussion, George Woudhuysen, an expert in fourth-century Roman historiography, and Justin Stover, a specialist in Medieval Latin, delve into the life and works of Sextus Aurelius Victor. They reveal how Victor's once-revered large-scale history shaped Roman historiography yet remained largely forgotten. The duo explores Victor's influential relationships with esteemed contemporaries, the significance of epitomes, and his impact on later historical narratives. Their findings not only recover a lost legacy but also reshape current understanding of late Roman history.
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Epitomes Hide a Lost Major History
- The short texts we have are epitomes, not Victor's full work, which explains their dullness and incoherence.
- Jerome and Ammianus read a large, sophisticated history by Victor now lost to us.
Victor Authored A Big Five-Book History
- Victor likely composed a large-scale history in five books covering Augustus to 360 AD and beyond in editions.
- The short surviving works are adaptations or epitomes derived from that larger composition.
From Rural North Africa To Urban Prefect
- Victor came from rural North Africa, received elite literary education, and entered imperial service in Illyricum.
- He met Julian who honored him with a statue and later became urban prefect of Rome under Theodosius.
