Apollonius of Tyana

Apollonius of Tyana
A wandering philosopher, probably representing Apollonius of Tyana, who lived a part of his life in Crete and died there. Found in Gortyn (late 2nd century AD), now in Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete.
Bornc. AD 15 (disputed)[1]
Tyana, Cappadocia, Anatolia (Roman Empire)
(now Kemerhisar, Niğde, Turkey)
Diedc. AD 100 (aged c. 85)
Occupation(s)Sage, orator, philosopher
Known forDivination, miracle-work

Apollonius of Tyana (Ancient Greek: Ἀπολλώνιος; Arabic: بلينس; Sanskrit: अपालुन्यः c. AD 15 – c. 100[2]) was a first-century Greek philosopher and religious leader from the town of Tyana, Cappadocia in Roman Anatolia, who spent his life travelling and teaching in the Middle East, North Africa and India. He is a central figure in Neopythagoreanism and was one of the most famous "miracle workers" of his day.

His exceptional personality and his mystical way of life, which was regarded as exemplary, impressed his contemporaries and had a lasting cultural influence. Numerous legends surrounding him and accounts of his life are contained in the extensive Life of Apollonius, which collects a large part of the legendary material about Apollonius' life and work. A large part of the ancient legends of Apollonius consist of numerous reports about miracles that he was said to have performed as a wandering sage with his lifelong companion Damis.

He was tried for allegedly having used magic as a means of conspiring against the emperor; after his conviction and subsequent death-penalty, his followers believed he underwent heavenly ascension.[3] Most modern scholars of antiquity agree that Apollonius existed historically.[4][5]

  1. ^ Dzielska, M (1986). "On the memoirs of Damis". Apollonius of Tyana in legend and history. Rome: L'Erma di Bretschneider. p. 32. ISBN 88-7062-599-0.
  2. ^ Dzielska pp.  Arabic: أبولونيوس19–50.
  3. ^ "Chapter 11: Philostratus' Life of Apollonius of Tyana", Noscendi Nilum Cupido, DE GRUYTER, pp. 258–308, 14 November 2012, doi:10.1515/9783110297737.258, ISBN 978-3-11-029767-6, retrieved 31 July 2023
  4. ^ Francis, James A. (1998). "Truthful Fiction: New Questions to Old Answers on Philostratus' "Life of Apollonius"". The American Journal of Philology. 119 (3): 419–441. ISSN 0002-9475. JSTOR 1561679.
  5. ^ Dzielska, Maria; Stucchi, Sandro (1986). Apollonius of Tyana in Legend and History. L'ERMA di BRETSCHNEIDER. ISBN 978-88-7062-599-8.