Like its Latin source text, The Old English History of the World maintains a narrative of four successive, war-torn empires, culminating in a Roman empire that becomes more peaceful as it adopts Christianity. The Old English does not extend all the way back to creation as Orosius’s Latin account does but begins with Ninus, King of Assyria, becoming the first king in the world, 1300 years before Rome.
This volume will be a useful addition to many libraries, both institutional and personal. It should bring a wider readership to The Old English History of the World, which has much to offer those interested in early medieval historiography, vernacular adaptation of a late antique source, and Old English prose. It should be particularly helpful to graduate students and their instructors.
Nicole Guenther Discenza
The Medieval Review
