Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire
Encyclopedia
Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire (usually abbreviated as PLRE) is a set of three volumes collectively describing every person attested or claimed to have lived in the Roman world
from AD 260, the date of the beginning of Gallienus
' sole rule, to 641, the date of the death of Heraclius
, which is commonly held to mark the end of Late Antiquity
. Sources cited include histories
, literary texts, inscriptions, and miscellaneous written sources. Individuals who are known only from dubious sources (e.g., the Historia Augusta), as well as identifiable people whose names have been lost, are included with signs indicating the reliability.
The volumes were published by the Cambridge University Press
, and involved a large number of authors and contributors. Arnold Hugh Martin Jones
, John Robert Martindale, and John Morris
were the principal editors.
As of October 2007, the volumes cost $300, $350, and $420 respectively, so the total collection of 4,157 pages comes to $1070.
The work was announced in the 1950 issue of the Journal of Roman Studies as a project of the British Academy
, with the goal of doing "for the later Empire what the Prosopographia Imperii Romani has done for the Principate
, to provide the materials for the study of the governing class of the Empire. The majority of the entries will be persons holding official posts or rank together with their families, and the work will not include clerics except in so far as they come into the above categories."
The Prosopography of the Byzantine World
project aims to extend coverage to 1265.
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
from AD 260, the date of the beginning of Gallienus
Gallienus
Gallienus was Roman Emperor with his father Valerian from 253 to 260, and alone from 260 to 268. He took control of the Empire at a time when it was undergoing great crisis...
' sole rule, to 641, the date of the death of Heraclius
Heraclius
Heraclius was Byzantine Emperor from 610 to 641.He was responsible for introducing Greek as the empire's official language. His rise to power began in 608, when he and his father, Heraclius the Elder, the exarch of Africa, successfully led a revolt against the unpopular usurper Phocas.Heraclius'...
, which is commonly held to mark the end of Late Antiquity
Late Antiquity
Late Antiquity is a periodization used by historians to describe the time of transition from Classical Antiquity to the Middle Ages, in both mainland Europe and the Mediterranean world. Precise boundaries for the period are a matter of debate, but noted historian of the period Peter Brown proposed...
. Sources cited include histories
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, literary texts, inscriptions, and miscellaneous written sources. Individuals who are known only from dubious sources (e.g., the Historia Augusta), as well as identifiable people whose names have been lost, are included with signs indicating the reliability.
The volumes were published by the Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII in 1534, it is the world's oldest publishing house, and the second largest university press in the world...
, and involved a large number of authors and contributors. Arnold Hugh Martin Jones
Arnold Hugh Martin Jones
Arnold Hugh Martin Jones — known as A.H.M. Jones — was a prominent 20th century British historian of classical antiquity, particularly of the later Roman Empire.-Biography:...
, John Robert Martindale, and John Morris
John Morris (historian)
John Robert Morris was an English historian who specialised in the study of the institutions of the Roman Empire and the history of Sub-Roman Britain...
were the principal editors.
- Volume 1, published on March 2, 1971, comes to 1,176 pages and covers the years from 260 to 395.
- Volume 2, published on October 9, 1980, comes to 1,355 pages and covers the years from 395 to 527.
- Volume 3, published on October 15, 1992 is itself a two-volume boxed set coming to a total of 1,626 pages and covering the years from 527 to 641.
As of October 2007, the volumes cost $300, $350, and $420 respectively, so the total collection of 4,157 pages comes to $1070.
The work was announced in the 1950 issue of the Journal of Roman Studies as a project of the British Academy
British Academy
The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
, with the goal of doing "for the later Empire what the Prosopographia Imperii Romani has done for the Principate
Principate
The Principate is the first period of the Roman Empire, extending from the beginning of the reign of Caesar Augustus to the Crisis of the Third Century, after which it was replaced with the Dominate. The Principate is characterized by a concerted effort on the part of the Emperors to preserve the...
, to provide the materials for the study of the governing class of the Empire. The majority of the entries will be persons holding official posts or rank together with their families, and the work will not include clerics except in so far as they come into the above categories."
The Prosopography of the Byzantine World
Prosopography of the Byzantine World
The Prosopography of the Byzantine World is a project to create a prosopographical database of individuals named in textual sources in the Byzantine Empire and surrounding areas in the period from 642 to 1265...
project aims to extend coverage to 1265.