Heliodorus of Emesa

Heliodorus of Emesa[1] (Medieval Greek Ἡλιόδωρος ὁ Ἐμεσηνός) was a Byzantine writer for whom two ranges of dates are suggested, either about the 250s AD or in the aftermath of Emperor Julian's rule, that is shortly after 363.[2] He is known for the ancient Greek novel called the Aethiopica (Αἰθιοπικά) ("Ethiopian Story"), sometimes called "Theagenes and Chariclia" (Greek: Θεαγένης καὶ Χαρίκλεια).

According to his own statement, his father's name was Theodosius and he belonged to a family of priests of the sun. The 5th-century Socrates of Constantinople identifies the author of the Aethiopica with a Heliodorus, bishop of Trikka, but the name Heliodorus was a common one. In the 14th century, Nikephoros Kallistos Xanthopoulos expanded this narrative, relating that the work was written in the early years of this bishop before he became a Christian and that, when forced either to disown it or resign his bishopric, he preferred resignation. Most scholars reject this identification.[3]

See also

Other ancient Greek novelists:

Notes
  1. Now Homs, Syria.
  2. Robin Lane Fox, Pagans and Christians, 1989, p. 137.
  3. Holzberg, Niklas. The Ancient Novel. 1995. p. 78; Bowersock, Glanwill W. The Aethiopica of Heliodorus and the Historia Augusta. In: Historiae Augustae Colloquia n.s. 2, Colloquium Genevense 1991. p. 43. In Historiae Augustae Colloquium Genevense, 1991; Wright, F.A. Introduction to Aethiopica., n.d.; Glenn Most, "Allegory and narrative in Heliodorus," in Simon Swain, Stephen Harrison, Jas Elsner (eds.), Severan Culture (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2007).

References
  •  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Heliodorus". Encyclopædia Britannica. 13 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 223.
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