Herodian of Antioch (Ἡρωδιανός ὁ Ἀντιοχεύς) was a Greek historian of the Roman Empire during the third century CE. He identifies himself as a minor imperial official, likely a contemporary observer who lived through the events he describes [1][2]. His history implies he had some access to affairs in Rome and possibly connections to the eastern provinces, though the traditional association with Antioch is not definitively confirmed [1][2].

His sole surviving work is the History of the Empire from the Death of Marcus Aurelius (Ἱστορίαι μετὰ Μάρκον βασιλείας), a complete narrative in eight books covering the period from 180 to 238 CE [1][2]. He claims to have based it on personal observation and inquiry rather than earlier texts [1][3].

Herodian’s history is a significant contemporary source for a period of severe political crisis, despite criticisms of its rhetorical style and occasional inaccuracies [1][2][3]. It provides a valuable Greek provincial perspective on imperial power and was used by later Byzantine chroniclers [1].

Sources 1. Encyclopædia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Herodian 2. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Classics: https://oxfordre.com/classics/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-3006 3. World History Encyclopedia: https://www.worldhistory.org/Herodian/