Definition: We know that the fifth century historian Zosimus was an advocatus fisci (treasury lawyer) and a comtes (count), but not much more. Probably by A.D. 498, Zosimus had finished a Roman history from Augustus to A.D. 410, just before the sack of Rome. His history provides information on the causes of Rome's fall, which he thinks began roughly at the time of the principate.
It is thought that Zosimus was pagan and therefore sympathetic to Julian the Apostate and hostile to Constantine I and Theodosius I.
Some of Zosimus' sources include Phlegon of Tralles, Eunapius, and Olympiodorus.
Sources:
John F. Matthews "Zosimus" Who's Who in the Classical World. Ed. Simon Hornblower and Tony Spawforth. Oxford University Press, 2000.
"Zosimus, The First Historian of Rome's Fall," by
Walter Goffart.
The American Historical Review, Vol. 76, No. 2. (Apr., 1971), pp. 412-441.
Occupation: Historian
Also Known As: Count Zosimus
Examples:
Although Gibbon and Zosimus both wrote about the decline and fall of Rome, Gibbon didn't like Zosimus. He called him "a
servile Greek, unworthy of esteem and trust, neither a soldier nor a politician, prejudiced, partial, malicious, ignorant (three times) , credulous, indecently bigoted, poor in judgment, a disingenuous liar, almost incredible in his crude simplicity." Source: Matthews (cf supra).
