Prohaeresius (, ''Parouyr''; el, Προαιρέσιος, ''Prohairesios''; c. 276 – c. 368) was a fourth-century

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

teacher and

rhetorician Rhetoric () is the art of persuasion, which along with grammar and logic (or dialectic), is one of the three ancient arts of discourse. Rhetoric aims to study the techniques writers or speakers utilize to inform, persuade, or motivate parti ...

originally from

Caesarea Caesarea () ( he, קֵיסָרְיָה, ), ''Keysariya'' or ''Qesarya'', often simplified to Keisarya, and Qaysaria, is an affluent town in north-central Israel, which inherits its name and much of its territory from the ancient city of Caesare ...

who taught in

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

. He was one of the leading

sophists A sophist ( el, σοφιστής, sophistes) was a teacher in ancient Greece in the fifth and fourth centuries BC. Sophists specialized in one or more subject areas, such as philosophy, rhetoric, music, athletics, and mathematics. They taught ' ...

of the era along with

Diophantus the Arab Diophantus the Arab ( grc, ∆ιόφαντος ὁ Ἀράβιος) was an Arab teacher and sophist at Athens during the 4th century AD. His most famous student was Libanius (336–340). He was active during the reign of Julian the Apostate (361� ...

and

Epiphanius of Syria Epiphanius of Petra ( grc-gre, Ἐπιφάνιος ὁ Πετραῖος), also called Epiphanius of Syria, was a sophist and rhetorician at Athens in the first half of the fourth century AD. He is described as a coming from Petra in Arabia by th ...

Early life

Prior to moving to Athens, Prohaeresius studied under the rhetor Ulpianus of Ascalon in

Antioch Antioch on the Orontes (; grc-gre, Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Ὀρόντου, ''Antiókheia hē epì Oróntou'', Learned ; also Syrian Antioch) grc-koi, Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Ὀρόντου; or Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπ� ...

. In Prohaeresius' student days, he was so poor that he and his friend Hephaestion, having only one decent garment between them, wore it on alternate days. He also studied under Julianus of Cappadocia, who taught a large number of students. Among Prohaeresius' disciples was also

Eunapius Eunapius ( el, Εὐνάπιος; fl. 4th–5th century AD) was a Greek sophist and historian of the 4th century AD. His principal surviving work is the ''Lives of Philosophers and Sophists'' ( grc-gre, Βίοι Φιλοσόφων καὶ Σο� ...

. One time the students of Prohaeresius got into a fight with the students of the Spartan

Apsines Apsines of Gadara ( grc-gre, Ἀψίνης ὁ Γαδαρεύς; fl. 3rd century AD) was a Greek rhetorician. He was a native of the Hellenised city of Gadara,Blank, David"Philodemus" The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2019 Edition), ...

. The matter was taken to Julianus, then an old man who pleaded to Prohaeresius to settle the matter peacefully. No

textbooks A textbook is a book containing a comprehensive compilation of content in a branch of study with the intention of explaining it. Textbooks are produced to meet the needs of educators, usually at educational institutions. Schoolbooks are textbook ...

written by Prohaeresius survive today, but his influence as a teacher is described by famous

and rhetoricians of the second half of the fourth century such as

Himerius Himerius ( grc-gre, Ἱμέριος; c. 315 AD – c. 386 AD) was a Greek sophist and rhetorician. 24 of his orations have reached us complete, and fragments of 12 others survive. Life and works Himerius was born at Prusias ad Hypium in B ...

and

Libanius Libanius ( grc-gre, Λιβάνιος, Libanios; ) was a teacher of rhetoric of the Sophist school in the Eastern Roman Empire. His prolific writings make him one of the best documented teachers of higher education in the ancient world and a criti ...

. Many Armenians had travelled to Athens to study under Prohaeresius whom Sozomenos called the most celebrated sophist of his age.

Rome

Attracted by the fame of this genius of erudition, the Emperor

Constans Flavius Julius Constans ( 323 – 350), sometimes called Constans I, was Roman emperor from 337 to 350. He held the imperial rank of ''caesar'' from 333, and was the youngest son of Constantine the Great. After his father's death, he was made ...

invited him to his palace in

Gaul Gaul ( la, Gallia) was a region of Western Europe first described by the Romans. It was inhabited by Celtic and Aquitani tribes, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, most of Switzerland, parts of Northern Italy (only during ...

and entertained him magnificently, though the guest was very simple and ascetic in habits. He was then sent by the Emperor to Rome, where he became an object of popular veneration, culminating in the erection of his statue, which bore the inscription ''Regina rerum Roma, Regi Eloquentiae'' i.e. "(from) Rome, the queen of cities, to the king of eloquence". Prohaeresius also received an honorary praetorian prefecture from the Emperor. Some of his other notable students were

Gregory of Nazianzus Gregory of Nazianzus ( el, Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, ''Grēgorios ho Nazianzēnos''; ''Liturgy of the Hours'' Volume I, Proper of Saints, 2 January. – 25 January 390,), also known as Gregory the Theologian or Gregory N ...

and

Basil the Great Basil of Caesarea, also called Saint Basil the Great ( grc, Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, ''Hágios Basíleios ho Mégas''; cop, Ⲡⲓⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ Ⲃⲁⲥⲓⲗⲓⲟⲥ; 330 – January 1 or 2, 379), was a bishop of Ca ...

. The historian

was Prohaeresius' favorite student and biographer. Eunapius reported that when the Emperor

Julian the Apostate Julian ( la, Flavius Claudius Julianus; grc-gre, Ἰουλιανός ; 331 – 26 June 363) was Roman emperor from 361 to 363, as well as a notable philosopher and author in Greek. His rejection of Christianity, and his promotion of Neoplato ...

banned Christians from holding chairs of education in 362, Prohaeresius was among them. Prohaeresius was given a special dispensation. Julian the Apostate, a scholarly man who was made emperor against his desire in 361, greatly admired Prohaeresius, and in a letter spoke of his "exuberant and overflowing stream of speech...mighty in discourse, just like

Pericles Pericles (; grc-gre, Περικλῆς; c. 495 – 429 BC) was a Greek politician and general during the Golden Age of Athens. He was prominent and influential in Athenian politics, particularly between the Greco-Persian Wars and the Pelopo ...

". In the hope of winning Prohaeresius to

Theurgy Theurgy (; ) describes the practice of rituals, sometimes seen as magical in nature, performed with the intention of invoking the action or evoking the presence of one or more deities, especially with the goal of achieving henosis (uniting wi ...

, Julian maintained him in a professorial chair, dismissing all others; but Prohaeresius remained loyal to his faith, and voluntarily resigned his lucrative post. Otherwise, Eunapius described Prohaeresius in pagan terms by comparing him to famous

Greek myth A major branch of classical mythology, Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the ancient Greeks, and a genre of Ancient Greek folklore. These stories concern the origin and nature of the world, the lives and activities of ...

ological figures (

Geryon In Greek mythology, Geryon ( or ;"Geryon"
''

Hermes Hermes (; grc-gre, Ἑρμῆς) is an Olympian deity in ancient Greek religion and mythology. Hermes is considered the herald of the gods. He is also considered the protector of human heralds, travellers, thieves, merchants, and orato ...

) and Athenian ruler

Peisistratus Pisistratus or Peisistratus ( grc-gre, Πεισίστρατος ; 600 – 527 BC) was a politician in ancient Athens, ruling as tyrant in the late 560s, the early 550s and from 546 BC until his death. His unification of Attica, the triangular ...

. Overall Eunapius presented his teacher Prohaeresius as an icon of Hellenic holiness.

References

External links

Eunapius: The Life of Prohaeresius
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Ancient Greek rhetoricians Greek educators 272 births 367 deaths 4th-century Christians Roman-era Athenian rhetoricians Armenian Christians Armenian educators People from Kayseri