Frankfurt, Germany, 1590 CE. This is a very rare folio-sized printed book, the third of a volume, named Romanae historiae scriptores Graeci minors (full title is listed below). The first two volumes are less rare, but the third volume is almost unobtainable. The book is a new (when it was published) edition of classical texts detailing the history of the Roman Emperors from Greek and Latin sources by German scholar Friedrich Sylburg. This book was printed at a time when the study of classical texts was the mark of an educated person. Some of these classical texts include Greek and Roman fasti (chronological lists of official or religious events); the writing of Eutropius, a Roman historian who travelled with Emperor Julian to Persia; the list of emperors of Rome and Constantinople; the history of Julius Caesar; the Dionis Epitome, the history of Rome from its foundation by Romulus and Remus to the emperorship of Alexander Severus; and many other sources. It is in a period vellum binding with (part of) the title printed on the spine. Most of the book consists of Greek and Latin printed in parallel columns with marginal notations. This is a beautiful, large (8 lbs!) volume that would look lovely laid open on a stand. Size: 3.25" L x 9" W x 14.25" H (8.3 cm x 22.9 cm x 36.2 cm).

Sylburg (1536 to 1596) was the son of a farmer, born near Marburg, who studied there, and at Jena, Geneva, and finally the great center of European learning, the University of Paris. His tutor there was Henry Estienne, and Sylburg made contributions to Estienne's Greek Thesaurus. Following that, he held posts as a lecturer and tutor (what we'd think of as a professor) at various locations in modern day Germany before becoming an editor of Greek texts in the booming publishing town of Frankfurt. During this time, he worked on this book. In 1591, after finishing the publication of these three volumes, he moved to Heidelberg, where he was the librarian for the elector palatine and continued to edit Greek and Roman texts. Whilst in Frankfurt, he worked with the publisher Johann Wechel to create many critically acclaimed editions of classical texts. A German biography of him notes that all of his editions show meticulous, indefatigable industry and great critical power, before adding that he reportedly died of overwork. The full title of the book is: Romanae historiae scriptores Graeci minores: qui partim ab urbe condita, partim ab Augusto Imperio, res Romanas memoriae prodiderunt: Fasti Graeci ac Latini; Eutropius, cum Graeca Paeanii metaphrasi; Dionis Epitome per Ioann; Xiphilinum facta; Herodianus Zosimus, Juliani Caesares, Olympiodori Hechlogai; E Suida excerptae Caesarum vitae; Imperatorum Romanorum and Constantinople. Series Chronologica duplex; Pars noui nunc, pars emendatiores in lucem exeuntes; addita Graecis ex aduerso interpretatione Latina; Adnotationibus item, and gemino rerum verborumque indice amplissimo, Graeco ac Latino. There are no records of sale for this third volume; a search on Abebooks.com reveals only one other example, priced at $15,000, which is not in anywhere near the condition of this one.

Provenance: Ex-Private New Jersey Collection

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#113022

The book is complete, with 1052 pages (please see photos for scan of the last page). The book has been rebound, but some time ago. The condition is very good (VG), entirely and clearly readable, with minor wear to the page edges and some pencil marks on the inside of the cover.