Cassius Dio the Historian

Published in 2021 by Brill as part of their Roman Literature and its Contexts series, this scholarly volume examines the life and work of the second-century Roman historian Cassius Dio. Jesper Majbom Madsen, a specialist in Roman history at the University of Southern Denmark, seeks to situate Dio not merely as a chronicler of events but as a complex political figure navigating the transition from the Severan dynasty to the subsequent period of instability. The text provides a rigorous analysis of how Dio reconciled his dual identity as a high-ranking Roman senator and a Greek intellectual.

The book is designed for an academic audience, adhering to Brill's tradition of producing high-level, peer-reviewed research in classical studies. Madsen utilizes modern historiographical frameworks to evaluate the reliability and thematic goals of the 'Roman History,' challenging long-held assumptions about Dio's perceived prejudices and his methods of source integration. Upon its release, it was received within the classical studies community as a necessary re-evaluation of how scholars approach the 'middle' Imperial period, emphasizing the historian's personal agency within the structures of Roman power.