Lives of the Sophists (Philostratus and Eunapius)

INTRODUCTION

...with Oriental superstition—and that the latter were nearly all sophists. However, to converse with sophists on equal terms, as Julia Julia Domna, Empress of Rome. did, she must have been well read in the Greek classics. Thus, we find Philostratus, in his extant letter Letter 63. to her, reminding her of a discussion they had had on Aeschines, and defending Gorgias of Leontini from his detractors. We do not meet with such another court of literary men until, in the fourth century, the Emperor Julian hastily collected about him the sophists and philosophers who were so soon to be dispersed upon his death. Cassius Dio Roman historian (lxxv. 15). tells us that Julia was driven by the brutality of her husband to seek the society of sophists. However that may be, it was during her son's reign that she showed special favor to Philostratus. After her downfall and death, he left Antioch and went to Tyre, where he published the work called generally the Life of Apollonius, though the more precise translation of its title would be In Honor of Apollonius. His wife, as we learn from an inscription Dittenberger, Sylloge i. 413. from Erythrae, was named Aurelia Melitine. From the same source, we may conclude that the family had senatorial rank, which was no doubt bestowed on Philostratus during his connection with the court. We have no detailed knowledge of the latter part of his life, but he evidently settled at Athens, where he wrote the Lives of the Sophists. He survived as late as the reign of Philip the Arab Reigned 244–249 A.D.; elected by the army after the murder of Gordian III.. Like other Lemnians, he had the privilege of Athenian citizenship.