Heliodorus of Emesa

Heliodorus of Emesa, from Emesa, Syria, was a Greek writer generally dated in the 3rd century of the Common Era, and is known for the ancient Greek romance or novel called the Aethiopica (the Ethiopian Story) or sometimes "Theagenes and Chariclea".

Related Topics:
Emesa - Syria - Greek - 3rd century - Romance - Novel

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According to his own statement, his father's name was Theodosius and he belonged to a family of priests of the sun. According to the ecclesiastical historian Socrates Scholasticus (Hist. eccles. V. 22), the author of the Aethiopica was a certain Heliodorus, bishop of Tricca in Thessaly. It is supposed that the work was written in his early years before he became a Christian and that, when confronted with the alternative of disowning it or resigning his bishopric, he preferred resignation. But it is now generally agreed that the real author was a sophist of the 3rd century of the Common Era.

Related Topics:
Socrates Scholasticus - Tricca - Thessaly - Christian - 3rd century

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