The New International Encyclopædia/Augustan History

AUGUSTAN HIS′TORY (Lat. Historia Augusta). The usual title of a collection of biographies of Roman emperors and usurpers from Hadrian to Numerianus (A.D. 117-284), written by six authors, late in the Third or early in the Fourth Century. The memoirs are important for matters of fact, but the literary character is poor. A great deal of curious anecdote and much unauthenticated scandal are collected in these lives. Best edition by H. Peter (Leipzig, 1884); an old translation by Bernard (London, 1740).