Introduction PART I Ammianus, soldier and historian 2 Ammianus Marcellinus and fourth-century warfare: a protector’s approach to historical narrative 3 Preparing the reader for war: Ammianus’ digression on siege Engines 4 The Persian invasion of 359: presentation by suppression in Ammianus Marcellinus’ Res Gestae 18.4.1–18.6.7 5 The outsider inside: Ammianus on the rebellion of Silvanus 6 Ammianus and the eunuchs PART II Images of emperors Images of Constantius 7 Telling tales: Ammianus’ narrative of the Persian expedition of Julian Ammianus on Jovian: history and literature 8 Nec metu nec adulandi foeditate constricta: the image of Valentinian I from Symmachus to Ammianus 11 Ammianus, Valentinian and the Rhine Germans PART III Rome, the historian and his audience 12 Ammianus Satiricus 13 A Persian at Rome: Ammianus and Eunapius, Frg. 14 Some Constantinian references in Ammianus 15 Templum mundi totius: Ammianus and a religious ideal of Rome PART IV The world beyond, Persia and Isauria Ammianus Marcellinus’ image of Arsaces and early Parthian History 17 Pure rites: Ammianus Marcellinus on the Magi 18 Visa vel lecta? Ammianus on Persia and the Persians 19 Ammianus Marcellinus on Isauria