Herodiānus

, a Greek historian, who flourished A.D. 247. He was born at Alexander, and he was employed among the officers of the Roman emperors. He wrote a Roman history in eight books, from the death of Marcus Aurelius to Maximin us. His style is peculiarly elegant, but it wants precision, and the work too plainly betrays that the author was not a perfect master of geography. He is accused of being too partial to Maximin us, and too severe upon Alexander Severus. His book comprehends the history of 68 or 70 years, and he a erts that he has been an eye-witne of whatever he has written. The best editions of his history are that of Politian, 4to, Dovan, 1525, who afterwards published a very valuable Latin translation, and that of Oxford, 8vo, 1708.