Herodianus, Historia de imperio post Marcum, Bologna, 1493, later limp vellum

HERODIANUS

Historia de imperio post Marcum [translated by Angelus Politianus]. Bologna: Franciscus (Plato) de Benedictis, 31 August 1493

Chancery folio (288 x 199mm.), 68 leaves, aa-hh⁸ ii⁴, 34-36 lines, roman type, 3- to 6-line initial spaces, heading on aa3 printed in red, printed marginalia, woodcut printer's device beneath colophon, modern limp vellum reusing a leaf from a liturgical manuscript, two ties

Herodian's history of the Roman Empire after Marcus Aurelius (from 180 to 238AD) was written shortly after the events it describes; Herodian probably died in around 240. The first edition, printed in Rome in 1493, was not approved of by Poliziano, in particular because of the long list of errata at the end, and the omission of the printed marginalia. This edition includes a prefatory letter from Poliziano to the Bolognese Andrea Magnanimo, indicating that Alessandro Sarti should help with the correction of the text, which is not present in the Rome edition.

LITERATURE:

ISTC ih00086000

PROVENANCE:

Andreas de Trautmannstorf, dean of Salzburg, inscription on aa1r dated 150[-]; Benedictines of St Peter, Salzburg, stamp and inscription on aa2