Aphthonius of Antioch

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Aphthonius of Antioch (Greek: Ἀφθόνιος Ἀντιοχεὺς ὁ Σύρος)[1] was a Greek sophist and rhetorician who lived in the second half of the 4th century CE.

Life[edit]

No information about his personal life is available except for his friendship with the sophist Libanius and a certain Eutropius, who may have been the author of a Roman history epitome.[2]

Aphthonius is known for his work Progymnasmata, a textbook on rhetoric and its elements, including exercises for students before they entered formal rhetorical schools. This work served as an introduction to the techne of Hermogenes of Tarsus.[3] Aphthonius's writing style is characterized as pure and simple, and ancient critics praised his atticism. The Progymnasmata remained popular as late as the 17th century, particularly in Germany. A collection of 40 fables written in the style of Aesop is also attributed to Aphthonius.[3]

Aphthonius may have visited the Serapeum of Alexandria around 315 CE, according to Rowe and Rees.[4]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Argyropoulos, Joannes, Prolegomena in Aphthonii progymnasmata
  2. ^ Conley, Thomas M. (1990). Rhetoric in the European tradition. New York: Longman. p. 60. ISBN 0-8013-0256-0. OCLC 20013261.
  3. ^ a b  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainChisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Aphthonius". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 2 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 168.
  4. ^ Alan Rowe & B. R. Rees (1956). "A Contribution To The Archaeology of The Western Desert: IV - The Great Serapeum Of Alexandria" (PDF). Manchester.

Further reading[edit]