Dating an Ill-Fated Journey: Synesius, Ep. 5

Abstract

Synesius passed his life as one of the most important men in Cyrene. He was born into a wealthy family that claimed descent from the founding Heraclids (e.g. Catast. 303A). On one occasion he was chosen as Cyrene's ambassador to the imperial court at Constantinople. During this period the revolts of Tribigild and Gamnas toppled Eutropius from seemingly absolute power behind Arcadius' throne; Synesius watched national politics unfold from a distinctive perspective, which he recorded in his De Regno and De Providentia. They are unquestionably important historical sources, but interpretation of them is complicated by the erudition and Neoplatonic philosophy artistically shaping their emphatic partisanship. Synesius' other treatises also reflect rhetorical and philosophical interests he had evolved as a student of the pagan Hypatia. Synesius' poetic hymns phrase Christian ideas in Neoplatonizing terms. The citizens of Ptolemais eventually made Synesius their bishop. In this position, as his letters show, he not only represented the patriarch Theophilus in pastoral disputes, but also deployed the authority of the Church against abusive governors and helped to organize the defense of his see against invading barbarians.' One hundred fifty-six extant letters represent Synesius' correspondence through all these periods of public and intellectual activity. They include formal greetings and recommendation letters, the standard fare of late antique epistolography, but also letters forwarding Synesius' literary works to friends, personal reminiscences and invitations, family news, his reservations about undertaking the bishopric, pastoral reports, a decree of excommunication, pleas on behalf of Pentapolis and accounts of its defense. He employs conventional elegances in formal letters, but his personal letters express strong emotions ranging from warm affection for friends and family and passionate

Where Is Aüza?

“…And then there is the Azarium of women with big breasts, visited by Synesius, and more readily discussed by historians than located (e.g. Long 1992, 354–7). Our Aüza is very probably a native name, or its Phoenicianized version.…”