The Civil Wars

Appian (95-165) was a Greek historian. Born in Alexandria to a wealthy family with Roman citizenship, Appian went to Rome in 120 to practice as an advocate, pleading cases for the imperial treasury before emperors Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and possibly Marcus Aurelius. Toward the end of his life, he began working on The Roman History, a 24-book study of Rome from the reign of the Gracchi brothers onward. Books 13-17, known as The Civil Wars, are an invaluable record of the internal conflicts that brought an end to the Roman Republic. In 147, Appian was appointed to the office of procurator in Egypt, and he held the position until his death in 165. Remembered today for his pioneering approach to military and political history, Appian is a vital figure whose life coincided with the height of the Roman Empire's power and territorial expansion.