Favorinus
Who was Favorinus?
Roman sophist and Academic skeptic philosopher (c.80–c.160)
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Favorinus (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Favorinus of Arles (c. 80 – c. 160 AD) was a Roman sophist and skeptic philosopher who thrived during Emperor Hadrian's rule and the Second Sophistic period. Born in Arelate, now Arles in southern Gaul, he went from provincial roots to becoming one of the most famous intellectuals of his time, captivating audiences in both Greek and Latin across the Roman Empire. His work blended philosophy, rhetoric, and public performance, making him a unique figure during a time when classical Greek learning was being revived under Roman rule.
Before Fame
Favorinus was born in Arles, a busy Roman city in Gallia Narbonensis, around 80 AD. Ancient texts mention that he was a hermaphrodite, a condition he discussed openly in his works and speeches, which made him a topic of interest and talk throughout his life. Although he came from the provincial west, he got an education rooted in Greek philosophy and rhetoric, eventually studying under the famous rhetorician Dio of Prusa, also known as Dio Chrysostom. This training gave Favorinus an understanding of Greek thought and oratory skills, allowing him to fit in well with the intellectual elites of Rome, Athens, and the eastern Mediterranean cities that were the cultural hubs of the empire.
Key Achievements
- Achieved widespread recognition as one of the foremost Greek-language orators and sophists of the Second Sophistic despite being born in Latin-speaking Gaul.
- Produced a substantial body of written work including philosophical treatises, miscellaneous collections, and declamations, portions of which survive through citations by Aulus Gellius and Diogenes Laertius.
- Maintained prominence in intellectual and imperial circles under Hadrian, navigating the politically sensitive environment of Roman court culture.
- Contributed to the transmission of Academic skeptical philosophy within the Roman imperial intellectual world.
- Delivered public orations in Athens, Rome, and other major cities, earning statues and civic honors in recognition of his rhetorical achievements.
Did You Know?
- 01.Favorinus famously described himself as possessing three paradoxes: he was a Gaul who spoke and thought in Greek, a eunuch who had been tried for adultery, and a man who had quarreled with an emperor and survived.
- 02.He reportedly had a public dispute with the Emperor Hadrian himself, yet prudently conceded the argument, later explaining to friends that it would be unwise to argue with a man who commanded thirty legions.
- 03.His work 'Miscellaneous History,' known in Greek as 'Pantodape Historia,' was an encyclopedic collection of anecdotes and curiosities, fragments of which survive in the writings of later authors including Diogenes Laertius and Aulus Gellius.
- 04.Aulus Gellius, the Roman author of 'Noctes Atticae,' was a devoted admirer of Favorinus and preserved substantial accounts of his conversations and opinions, making Gellius one of the primary sources for modern knowledge of Favorinus.
- 05.Favorinus wrote a work called 'On the Académie' and was closely associated with the tradition of Academic skepticism descended from Pyrrho and the later Academy of Arcesilaus, making him a rare western-born practitioner of this Greek philosophical school.