Appian

Appian, a distinguished Greek historian, writer, lawyer, and civil servant, was born around the year ninety-five in Alexandria. He thrived during the reigns of Roman Emperors Trajan, Hadrian, and Antoninus Pius. After serving in senior positions in the province of Aegyptus, he relocated to Rome around the year one hundred twenty, where he practiced as an advocate, likely serving as an important official of the imperial treasury.

By the year one hundred forty-seven, Appian had been appointed procurator, possibly in Egypt, thanks to the recommendation of his friend Marcus Cornelius Fronto, a prominent rhetorician and advocate. This appointment, reserved for members of the equestrian order, sheds light on Appian's notable family background and social standing.

His most significant surviving work, known as Ρωμαϊκά Romaiká in Greek, or Historia Romana in Latin, consists of twenty-four books and was completed before the year one hundred sixty-five. This monumental piece resembles a collection of monographs rather than a continuous narrative, detailing various peoples and regions from their earliest days until their integration into the Roman Empire. It remains a crucial resource, particularly for understanding the tumultuous period of the civil wars.

The sections concerning the Civil Wars, specifically books thirteen to seventeen, focus on the decline of the Roman Republic, offering a conflict-driven perspective on history. Despite the absence of cited sources, these books provide the only comprehensive account of these pivotal decades in Roman history. Additionally, Appian's work, 'The Foreign Wars,' presents an ethnographic history of military conflicts against foreign adversaries up to his time.