Editing Justin (historian)

{{Short description|Roman historian, 2nd century}}

'''Justin''' ({{langx|la|Marcus Junianus Justinus Frontinus}};{{refn|group=n|Justin's name is given only in manuscripts of his own history, the majority of which simply identify him as ''Justinus''.  One manuscript identifies him as ''Justinus Frontinus'', the other as ''Marcus Junianus Justinus''.  The accuracy of these names is uncertain.}} fl. {{circa|lk=no|2nd}} century AD) was a Latin writer and historian who lived under the [[Roman Empire]]. 
[[File:Iustinus - ita, negli anni dil signore MCCCCLXXVII ali giorni X semptembris - 913806 Scan00008.jpg|thumb|''Epitome historiarum Trogi Pompeii'']]

{{anchor|Biography|History}}

==Life==
Almost nothing is known of Justin's personal history, his name appearing only in the title of his work. He must have lived after [[Gnaeus Pompeius Trogus]], whose work he excerpted, and his references to the [[Roman Empire|Romans]] and [[Parthian Empire|Parthians]] having divided the world between themselves would have been anachronistic after the rise of the [[Sasanian Empire|Sassanians]] in the third century. His [[Latin]] appears to be consistent with the style of the second century. [[Ronald Syme]], however, argues for a date around 390, immediately before the compilation of the [[Augustan History]], and dismisses anachronisms and the archaic style as unimportant, as he asserts that readers would have understood Justin's phrasing to represent Trogus' time, and not his own.{{sfnp|Syme|1988}}

==Works==<!--linked-->
{{main|Epitome of the Philippic History of Pompeius Trogus}}
Justin was the author of an [[epitome]] of Trogus' expansive ''Liber Historiarum Philippicarum'', or ''Philippic Histories'', a history of the kings of [[Macedonia (ancient kingdom)|Macedon]], compiled in the time of [[Augustus]].  Due to its numerous digressions, this work was retitled by one of its editors, ''[[Historia Philippicae et Totius Mundi Origines et Terrae Situs]]'', or ''Philippic History and Origins of the Entire World and All of its Lands''.  Justin's [[preface]] explains that he aimed to collect the most important and interesting passages of that work, which has since been lost.  Some of Trogus' original arguments (''{{lang|la|prologi}}'') are preserved in various other authors, such as [[Pliny the Elder]].  Trogus' main theme was the rise and history of the [[Macedonian Empire]], and like him, Justin permitted himself considerable freedom of digression, producing an idiosyncratic anthology rather than a strict epitome.

==Legacy==
Justin's history was much used in the [[Middle Ages]], when its author was sometimes mistakenly conflated with [[Justin Martyr]].{{sfnp|Chisholm|1911}}

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=n}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{EB1911|wstitle=Justin|volume=15|page=596}}
* {{citation |first=Alice |last=Borgna |contribution=Ripensare la storia universale. Giustino e l'Epitome delle Storie Filippiche di Pompeo Trogo |title=Spudasmata  |date=2018 }}.
* {{citation |first=Ronald |last=Syme |contribution=The Date of Justin and the Discovery of Trogus |title=Historia |volume=37 |pages=358–371 |date=1988 }}.

==External links==
* [http://daten.digitale-sammlungen.de/~db/0006/bsb00067042/images/index.html?id=00067042&groesser=&fip=xsyztsxdsydewqenxssdasyztsw&no=16&seite=5 An early edition] (Milan, 1476) of the ''Epitome'' from the Bavarian State Library
* Justin's ''Epitome'' at [http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/justin.html The Latin Library], {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20030714152000/http://www.forumromanum.org/literature/justinx.html Corpus Scriptorum Latinorum]}}, & [http://agoraclass.fltr.ucl.ac.be/concordances/intro.htm#ju Itinera Electronica] {{in lang|la}}
* [[John Selby Watson|Watson]]'s 1853 translation at {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20031024165620/http://www.forumromanum.org/literature/justin/english/index.html CSL]}}, [http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/index.htm the Tertullian Project], & [http://www.attalus.org/info/justinus.html Attalus] {{in lang|en}}
* [[Marie-Pierre Arnaud-Lindet|Arnaud-Lindet]]'s 2003 translation at {{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20140310044652/http://www.forumromanum.org/literature/justin/index.html CSL]}} {{in lang|fr}}
* [[Silvio Correa|Correa]]'s 2003 partial translation at {{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20130414212759/http://www.forumromanum.org/literature/justin/spanish/trad_pr.html CSL]}} {{in lang|es}}
* [http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/justinus_08_prologi.htm ''Prologi'' of Pompeius Trogus's work] at the Tertullian Project

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Justin}}
[[Category:2nd-century Romans]]
[[Category:2nd-century historians]]
[[Category:2nd-century writers in Latin]]
[[Category:Latin historians]]
[[Category:Year of death unknown]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]
[[Category:Place of birth unknown]]