EUTROPIUS, Roman historian. He held the office of secre tary (magister memoriae) at Constantinople, accompanied Julian on his expedition against the Persians (363), and was alive during the reign of Valens (364-378), to whom he dedicates his history. This work (Breviarium historiae Romanae) is a compendium, in ten books, of Roman history from the foundation of the city to the accession of Valens. It was compiled from the best accessible authorities, and is generally impartial. As the Latin is clear and simple the work was for a long time a favourite school-book. Its independent value is small, but it sometimes fills a gap left by the more authoritative records. The Breviarium was enlarged and continued by Paulus Diaconus (q.v.) ; and by Landolfus Sagax (c. IOoo).
Of the Greek translations by Capito Lycius and Paeanius, the version of the latter is extant in an almost complete state. The best edition of Eutropius is by H. Droysen (1879) , containing the Greek version and the enlarged editions of Paulus Diaconus and Landolfus; smaller critical editions C. Wagener (1884) , F. RUM (1887) . J. Sorn's Der Sprachgebrauch des Hist orikers Eutropius (1892) contains a systematic account of the grammar and style of the author. There are numerous English school editions and translations.