Gaius Asinius Quadratus

Gaius Asinius Quadratus (fl. AD 248) was a Greek historian of Rome and Parthia in the third century. He was a senator who wrote a 15-book history of Rome, Chilieteris ("The Millennium"), which, according to the Suda, covered the period from the founding of Rome until the rule of Alexander Severus. He also wrote a Parthika in nine books, presumably a narrative of the Parthian campaigns of the preceding century. Some scholars attribute to him a Germanika, as well, although this is debated. All of his works were in Greek.

Thirty fragments of his work remain, which have been published by Felix Jacoby in the Fragmente der griechischen Historiker. Most of these derive from the dictionary of Stephanus of Byzantium.

The "thousand years" of Quadratus' title has been explained in various ways. Jacoby argues that Quadratus unusually dated the founding of Rome to the first Olympiad in 776. Zecchini, though, claims that Quadratus used the traditional dating of the founding of Rome and intended the work to extend to 248, when Philip the Arab celebrated the first millennium, but that he died before its completion.

Asinius is the nomen of the gens Asinia of ancient Rome. He was the son of Gaius Julius Asinius Quadratus, who was brother of Gaius Asinius Rufus (born circa 160) and Gaius Asinius Quadratus Protimus (born circa 165), Proconsul of Achaea circa 211 or in 220. These brothers were sons of Gaius Asinius Nicomachus (born circa 135) and his wife and cousin Julia Quadratilla (born circa 145) (or perhaps Asinia Marcellina, descendant of the family of Gaius Asinius Pollio), and grandchildren of Gaius Asinius Rufus (circa 110 - after 136), a notable in Lydia in 134 and 135 who became aRoman senator in 136, and wife Julia.