Historische Chronica – Gottfried – 1631 | Ancient Greek & Roman Histories

Johann Ludwig Gottfried was an early 17th-century German theologian and author. He is most remembered for his monumental work Historical Chronical. While he also edited and paraphrased important works such as Ovid’s ‘Metamorphoses,’ Chronicle was by far his most extensive and time consuming piece. In fact, each portion was so popular at release that the work was continued beyond Gottfried’s death by Abelin.

Chronica was the most comprehensive book of world events which included human history fused with ancient myths which were encompassed within the timeline of the Bible. Gottfried sought to combine pagan histories with holy and divine histories and did so beginning with Creation, touching on important kingdoms Assyria, Persia, Macedonia, and Rome.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Ander Theil Historische Chronica, oder Beichreibung der furnemsten Beschichten, so sich von…
• Author(s): Johann Ludwig Gottfried
• Illustrator(s): Matthäus Merian
• Publisher: Franckfurt: Matthew Merian Buchhand
• Edition: First edition, 1631
• Format: (4to), single volume
• Binding: Full vellum
• Size:  8.25 in x 7 in (21 cm x 17.8 cm)
• Collation: 170 pp
  • Incomplete – lacking pages 7/8, 93/94, 101/102, 113/114)
• Illustrations: 47 engravings
• Provenance: bookplate – North Library, 1860.
• Contents Include:
  • Cambyses ordering the death of his brother Smerdis (Bardiya)
  • Cambyses mocks and wounds the sacred Apis bull
  • Phalaris’ Brazen Bull of Agrigentum
  • Darius & Persian nobles feasting in luxury
  • Battle of Himera – Gelon defeats the Carthaginians
  • Council of Trajan and the leadership of Ducetius
  • Story of Thracian assailant throw into the Well
  • Alexander the Great at the Battle of Issus

Condition:

Fair. Bound in full vellum with exterior wear and rubbing. The text block remains intact though several leaves are absent. Engravings are still clean.

Why Collect This?

• Baroque-era German historical chronicle
• Contains 47 period engravings

Item Number: # 29516