SOURCE: "Structure and Themes in Eutropius's Breviarium," The Classical Bulletin, Vol. 66, Nos. 3-4, 1990, pp. 87-92.

In the following essay, Bird contends that Livy 's Epitome provided Eutropius with a model by which to organize the book-divisions and themes of the Breviarium.

When Eutropius came to write his abridged history of Rome in A.D. 369 he must have had a plan of composition, some idea of how long he wished to make his work, which sources he would utilize. He may even have discussed some of the particulars with his emperor, Valens, as the first words of the proemium seem to indicate, and the emperor's suggestions would not have been lightly disregarded. What Valens apparently wanted was a concise, straightforward but comprehensive history of Rome from its foundation down to the death of Jovian some five years earlier, when Valentinian and Valens had come to power. One major reason...