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Volume III: The Tollemache Orosius
Early English Manuscripts in Facsimile Finding Aid Home
v. I v. II v. III v.IV v. V v.VI v.VII v.VIII v.IX v.X
v.XI v.XII v.XIII v.XIV v.XV v.XVI v.XVII v.XVIII v.XIX
v.XX v.XXI v.XXII v.XXIII v.XXIV v.XV v.XVI v.XVII
v.XXVIII and XXIX Other resources
Volume III: The Tollemache Orosius
The vernacular prose version of Orosius’s HISTORY OF THE WORLD was one of the main productions of the literary circle associated with the court of King Alfred. It is perhaps best known for its striking original additions, including its description of the geography of northern Price Listope and the famous accounts of the voyages of Ohthere and Wulfstan.
From the publisher's website: http://www.rosenkilde-bagger.dk
Title pages a-e
Table of Contents 1r-7r
Book 1
Chapter 1 8-20: How our elders divided all the globe into three parts. The boundary of Asia, of Europe, of Africa, of India and Parthia, of Babylonia, Mesopotamia, Palestine, Armenia, Syria, Phonecia, etc., of Egypt, of the south of Asia. The extent of Alfred's Germania, of the East Franks, Bavarians, Bohemians, Frisians, Danes, Angles, Old-Saxons, etc. The first voyage of Ohthere. Of the Biarmians. Ohthere a rich man. Of the country of the Northmen. Of Sweden. Ohthere's second voyage. He sails into the Baltic. Wulfstan's voyage. Customs of the Esthonians, concerning the dead, horse races, of keeping the dead. Of Greece, of Italy, of Gallia, Belgica, of Spain, of Britain. Extent of Africa. of Byzacium, Carthage, Numidia. Islands in the Mediterranean, Cyprus, Crete. The Cyclades or Dodekanista, of Sicily, of Sardinia, of Corsica. The Balearic Islands.
Chapter 2 20-22: How Ninus, King of Assyria, first began to reign over the men of this world, and how, after him, Semiramis, his queen, with great severity, and profligacy, seized the government.
Chapter 3 22: How the fire from heaven burnt up the land on which the two cities, Sodom and Gomorrah, were built.
Chapter 4 22: How the inhabitants of Candia and Scarpanto fought with other.
Chapter 5 22-23: How the righteous man, Joseph, saved the people of Egypt from the seven years' great famine by his wisdom, and how they afterwards, according to his appointment, gave every year the fifth part of all their fruits to their king as tribute.
Chapter 6 23-24: How in Achaia there was a great flood in the days of king Aphictyon.
Chapter 7 24-25: How Moses led the people of Israel from Egypt over the Red Sea.
Chapter 8 25-26: How, in one night, there were fifty mean slain in Egypt by their own sons. And how Bursiris, the King, commanded to sacrifice all the strangers who visited him, and about the contention of many other people.
Chapter 9 31: How the Cretans and Athenians, people of Greece, fought with each other.
Chapter 10 31-34: How Vesoges, king of Egypt, would subdue both the south part with is Asia, and the north part which is Scythia, and about the women who are called Amazons. And about the Goths whom Pyrrhus, the cruel king of Greece and Alexander the Great, as well as Julius the emperor, dreaded.
Chapter 11 34-35: How Helen, the king's wife, was taken to the city of Lacedaemon, and how king Aeneas went with an army into Italy.
Chapter 12 35-38: How Sardanapalus was the last king of Assyria, and how Arbaces, his chief officer, deceived him. And how the women upbraided their husbands when they wished to flee. And how the brass-founder formed and image of a bull for the prince.
Chapter 13 38: How the Pelo[onnesians and Athenians fought with each other.
Chapter 14 38-39: How the Lacedaemonians and the Messnians fought with each other on account of their offerings of their maidens.
Book 2
Chapter 1 39-43: How Orosius said that our Lord created the frist man very upright and very good, and about the four empires of the world.
Chapter 2 43-44: How the brothers, Remus and Romulus, built the city of Rome in Italy.
Chapter 3 44-45: With hat wickedness Romulus and Brutus dedicated Rome.
Chapter 4 45-50: How the Romans and Sabines fought with each other, and how Cyrus was slain in Scythia.
Chapter 5 50-55: How king Cambyses despised the Egyptian idols. And concerning the wars of Darius, and of Xerxes and Leonidas.
Chapter 6 55-57: And how a wonder was shown to the Romans, as if the heavens were burning.
Chapter 7 57: How the people of Sicily were fighting with each other.
Chapter 8 57-59:How the Romans beset the city of Veii, ten years. And how the Senonian Gauls stormed the city Rome.
Book 3
Chapter 1 60-63: How a disgraceful and crafty peace was made between the Lacedaemonians and Persians.
Chapter 2 63: How there was an earthquake in Achaia.
Chapter 3 64-65: How the great pestilence was in Rome, at the time of the two Consuls, and how Marcus Curtius plunged into the yawning earth.
Chapter 4 65: How the Gauls ravaged the Roman territories to within three miles of the city.
Chapter 5 65-67: How the Carthaginian ambassadors came to Rome and offered peace.
Chapter 6 67-68: How the Romans and Latins fought with each other, and how a nun was buried alive.
Chapter 7 68-74: How king Alexander, uncle of the great Alexander, fought with the Romans. And how Philip, father of the great Alexander, took the sovereignty of Macedonia and chose Byzantium for his capital.
Chapter 8 74-76: How the place, Furcilae Caudinae, became well known for the disgrace of the Romans.
Chapter 9 76-84: How the great Alexander took the sovereignty of Macedonia, and how he told a certain priest to say, according to his wish, who was his father. And how he overcame king Darius, and how he himself was killed with poison.
Chapter 10 84-86: How, under two consuls, four of the strongest nations wished to overcome the Romans, and how the great pestilence was at Rome. And how the told them to fetch Aesculapius, the magician, with the magical snake.
Chapter 11 86-94: How, under two consuls, the Samnites and the Senonian Gauls became enemies of the city Rome, and how after Alexander's death his generals ended their lives in strife.
Book 4
Chapter 1 94-98: How the Tarentines saw ships of the Romans sial on the sea when they were playing in their theatre.
Chapter 2 98-99: How the many evil wonders happened in Rome.
Chapter 3 99: How milk was seen to rain from heaven and blood to spring from the earth.
Chapter 4 99-101: How the great plague came upon the Romans, and how Caperone, the nun, was hanged. And how the townspeople of Carthage sacrificed men to their gods.
Chapter 5 101-104: How Himilco, king of the Carthaginians, went with an army into Sicily, and how a certain man, Hanno, was yearning for power, and how the Carthaginians head that the great Alexander had stormed the city Tyre.
Chapter 6 104-109: How the people of Sicily and Carthage fought with each other, and how the Romans beset Hannibal, king of the Carthaginians, and how Collatinus, the consul, went with an army to Camarina, a town of Sicily. And how the Carthaginians fixed again that that the aged Hannibal should fight against the Romans with ships, and how the Romans went into Africa with three-hundred and thirty ships. And how Regulus, the consul, killed an immense serpent, and how Regulus fought with three Carthaginian kings in one battle. And how Emilius, the consul, went into Africa with three-hundred ships and how Cotta, the consul, ravaged Sicily. How two consuls went into Africa with three-hundred ships and how in the time of three consuls Asdrubal, the new king, came to Lilybaeum in the island of Sicily. And how Claudius, the consul, went against the carthaginians again, and how Caius, the consul, went into Africa and was cast away in the sea, and how Lutatius, the consul, went into Africa with three-hundred ships.
Chapter 7 109-112: How the immense fire happened at Rome, and how the Gauls withstood the Romans, and how the Sardinians made war on the Romans, as the Carthaginians advised them. And how Orosius said, that he was come to the good times of which the Romans afterward boasted much, and how the Gauls warred against the Romans, and the Carthaginians did so on the other side. And how teo consuls fought with the Gauls, and how many wonders were seen, and how Claudius the consul slew thirty-thousand Gauls.
Chapter 8 112-114: How Hannibal, king of the Carthaginians, beset Seguntum, a city of Spain. And how Hannibal, king of the Carthaginians, broke over the Pyrenean mountains, and how Scipio, the consul, fought with the Spaniards, and how many wonders happened at that time.
Chapter 9 114-117: How Hannibal decieved two consuls in their battle, and how the ROmans appointed a dictator and Scipio as consul. And how the Romans sent Lucius, the consul, into Gaul with three legions.
Chapter 10 117-122: How Marcellus, the consul, went with a fleet against Sicily, and how Hannibal fought against Marcellus the consul for three days. And how Hannibal stole upon Marcellus, the consul, and slew him, and how Asdrubal, Hannibal's brother, went from Spain into Italy, and how peace was granted to the Carthaginians by Scipio, the consul.
Chapter 11 123-126: How the second war of the Romans was ended, and how Sempronius, the consul, was slain in Spain, and how Philip, king of Macedon, killed an ambassador of the Romans. And how the Macedonian war arose, and how Emilius, the consul, overcame Perseus the king.
Chapter 12 126: How the greatest fear came upon the Romans, for the Celtiberians, a people of Spain.
Chapter 13 127-128: How the third war of the Romans with the king of the Carthaginians was ended.
Book 5
Chapter 1 128-129: How Orosius spoke about the boast of the Romans, how they overcame many people, and how they drove many kings before their triumphs towards Rome.
Chapter2 129-132: How in one year the two two cities, Carthage and Corinth, were destroyed, and how Veratius, the shepherd, began to reign in Spain. And how Claudius, the consul, routed the Gauls, and how Mancinus, the consul, concluded a peace with Spain. And how Brutus, the consul, slew sixty thousand Spaniards, and how a child was born in Rome.
Chapter 3 132-133: How the Romans sent Scipio into Spain with their military force, and how Gracchus, the consul, contended with the other consuls till they slew him, and how the slaves contended with their masters.
Chapter 4 133-134: How Lucinius, the consul, who was also chief priest of the Romans, went with an army against Aristonicus the king, and how Antiochus, king of Asia, wished for the severeignty of the Parthians. And how Scipio, the best officer of the Romans, compained of his hardships to the Roman senators, and how the fire of Etna ascended.
Chapter 5 135 How the Romans afterwards ordered Carthage to be rebuilt, and how the consul Metellus subdued the pirates.
Chapter 6 135 How Fabius, the consul, overcame Bituitus, king of the Gauls.
Chapter 7 135-137 How the Romans fought with Jugurtha, king of the Numidians.
Chapter 8 137-138 How the Romans fought with the Cimbri, and with the Teutones and with the Ambrones.
Chapter 9 138 How the Romans began to raise contention among themselves in the fifth year that Marius was consul.
Chapter 10 138-140 How there was deliberate war over all Italy in the sixth year that Julius Caesar was consul.
Chapter 11 140-141 How the Romans sent Sylla, the consul, against Mithridates, king of the Parthians.
Chapter 12 141-145 How the Romans gave seven legions to Julius, the consul, and how Julius beset Torquatus, Pompey's general, in a fortress. And how Julius fought with Torquatus three times.
Chapter 13 145-146 How Octavianus seized upon the empire of the Romans against their wish.
Chapter 14 146-147 How Octavianus Caesar shut the door of Janus.
Chapter 15 147-148 How some of the Spaniards were adversaries to Augustus.
Book 6
Chapter 1 148-150 How Orosius spoke about the powers of the four chief empires of the world.
Chapter 2 150-151 How Tiberius Caesar succeeded to the empire of the Romans, after Augustus.
Chapter 3 151-152 How Caius was emperor four years.
Chapter 4 152-153 How Tiberius Caesar Claudius succeeded to the empire of the Romans.
Chapter 5 153-154 How Nero Succeeded to the empire of the Romans.
Chapter 6 154 How Galba the emperor succeeded to the government of the Romans.
Chapter 7 154-155 How Vespasian succeeded to the empire of the Romans.
Chapter 8 155 How Titus succeeded to the empire of the Romans.
Chapter 9 155 How Domitian, brother of Titus, succeeded to the empire of the Romans.
Chapter 10 155-156 How Nerva succeeded to the empire of the Romans.
Chapter 11 156 How Adrian succeeded to the empire of the Romans.
Chapter 12 156-157 How Antonius Pius succeeded to the empire of the Romans.
Chapter 13 157 How Marcus Antonius succeeded to the empire of the Romans, with his brother Aurelius.
Chapter 14 157-158 How Lucius succeeded to the empire of the Romans.
Chapter 15 158 How Severus succeeded to the empire of the Romans.
Chapter 16 158 How his son Antoninus succeeded the government.
Chapter 17 158 How Marcus succeeded to the empire of the Romans.
Chapter 18 159 How Aurelius succeeded to the empire of the Romans.
Chapter 19 159 How Maximinus succeeded to the empire of the Romans.
Chapter 20 159 How Gordianus succeeded to the empire of the Romans.
Chapter 21 159-160 How Philip succeeded to the sovereignty of the Romans.
Chapter 22 160 How Decius succeeded to the sovereignty of the Romans.
Chapter 23 160 How Gallus succeeded to the sovereignty of the Romans.
Chapter 24 160-161 How the Romans appointed two emperors.
Chapter 25 161 How Claudius succeeded to the sovereignty of the Romans.
Chapter 26 161 How Aurelius succeeded to the sovereignty of the Romans.
Chapter 27 161 How Tacitus succeeded to the sovereignty of the Romans.
Chapter 28 161 How Probus succeeded to the sovereignty of the Romans.
Chapter 29 162 How Carus succeeded to the sovereignty of the Romans.
Chapter 30 162-165 How Diocletian succeeded to the sovereignty of the Romans.
Chapter 31 165-166 How Constantine succeeded to the sovereignty of the Romans, with his two brothers.
Chapter 32 166 How Jovinianus succeeded to the empire of the Romans.
Chapter 33 166-167 How Valentinianus succeeded to the sovereignty of the Romans.
Chapter 34 167-168 How Valens succeeded to the sovereignty of the Romans.
Chapter 35 168-169 How Gratianus succeeded to the sovereignty of the Romans, and how the Britons took Maximianus for their emperor against his will.
Chapter 36 169-170 How Theodosius succeeded to the empire of the Romans,and how Valentinian afterwards succeeded to the sovereignty.
Chapter 37 170-171 How Arcadius succeeded to the sovereignty of the Romans, in the east, and how Honorius to the sovereignty of the west.
Chapter 38 171 How God exercised his mercy on the Romans.
