As this short survey shows, interpretation of texts is a difficult exercise. We have seen Ammianus and his Res Gestae interpreted as a Hymn to concord between pagans and Christians (Rike, Neri) under the umbrella of paganism. Ammianus has been considered as an apostate Christian (Barnes) or seen as just an author with a more flexible attitude towards Christianity then most pagan writers of his day and as somebody not too worried about whether or not Christian words or ideas could be used (Matthews). Hunt introduced the most convincing argument in pointing out that Ammianus had certain literary conventions to obey to, if he wanted to be seen as a serious historian. The other arguments are still most certainly open to discussion.

Bibliography

- Barnes, T.D., Ammianus Marcellinus and the Representation of Historical Reality, Ithaca/London 1998
- Chifflet: see E.A. Thompson, The Historical work of Ammianus Marcellinus, Cambridge 1947 (repr. Groningen 1969)
- Hunt, E.D., ‘Christians and Christianity in Ammianus Marcellinus’, Classical Quarterly 35 (1985) 186-200
- Hunt, E.D., ‘Christianity in Ammianus Marcellinus revisited’, Studia Patristica 24 (1993) 108-113
- Matthews, John, The Roman Empire of Ammianus, London 1989
- Neri, V., ‘Ammianus’ Definition of Christianity as absoluta et simplex religio’, in: J. den Boeft, D, den Hengst, H.C. Teitler (eds.), Cognitio Gestorum. The Historiographic Art of Ammianus Marcellinus (Amsterdam 1992) 59-65
- Rike, R.L., Apex Omnium, Berkeley/Los Angeles/London 1987