GAILLY DE TAURINES (Charles)k - Lot 302

GAILLY DE TAURINES (Charles)k GAILLY DE TAURINES (Charles) (1857-1941) French historian, critic, journalist and man of letters. Specialist in military history and ancient sources, author of numerous historical works devoted in particular to Antiquity and the Roman campaigns. L.A.S. "Ch. Gailly de Taurines", Paris, 45 avenue Malakoff, December 22, 1910, 4 pages in-8, addressed to a scholarly correspondent. Very interesting autograph letter of historical research devoted to the Germanic campaigns of Emperor Tiberius and the interpretation of Tacitus' texts. Thanking his correspondent for a note he found particularly useful, Gailly de Taurines discusses at length the meteorological conditions of the North Sea and their role in several military episodes of Roman times: "The fact that, in these regions of the North Sea, storms blow almost exclusively from the southwest and west explains perfectly this passage by Tacitus..." He then undertakes a detailed analysis of the account of Germanicus' campaigns in 16 AD, drawing on Tacitus' Annals and geographical data relating to the Frisian, Ems and Elbe coasts. The letter contains numerous Latin quotations with commentary, including : "Quibus paulum aegreque vitatis..." and develops a veritable critical survey of fleet movements, storms, tides and the routes taken by the Roman legions. The author compares ancient texts with geographical reality in order to reconstruct events: "Here is Tacitus' account, which, as you can see, your kind note has already helped to shed a great deal of light on. The last page shows Gailly de Taurines continuing his investigations into another of Germanicus' campaigns, and again asking his correspondent for his opinion on the exceptional tidal phenomena mentioned by ancient authors. This letter is a remarkable testimony to the work of the historian at the beginning of the 20th century: criticism of sources, philological analysis of the Latin text, confrontation with geographical realities and the search for scientific confirmation. Fine autograph signature: "Ch. Gailly de Taurines". A first-rate document for the history of historical scholarship and the study of Roman antiquity. Condition: a few marginal flaws and mailing folds; minor damage to top edge with no effect on text; overall good condition.