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2 results

  • Chapter 2 - Greek and Roman Epigrammatists in the Later Imperial Period

  • from Part 1 - A ‘Late’ Perspective on the Literary Tradition
  • Edited by Berenice Verhelst, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Tine Scheijnen, Universiteit Gent, Belgium
  • Book:
    Greek and Latin Poetry of Late Antiquity
    Published online:
    16 June 2022
    Print publication:
    30 June 2022, pp 31-50

  • Summary

    The literary epigram is one of the most versatile ancient literary genres, and epigrammatists have often used it as a testing ground for the recollection and construction of their literary past. This chapter compares the corpus of Decimus Magnus Ausonius and Palladas of Alexandria, two eminent representatives of the epigrammatic genre from the later imperial period. Ausonius’ dialogue with the literary past is characterised by a discourse about the value, validity and reliability of classical authors and authorities from the Greek and the Roman world. For this purpose, Ausonius uses various techniques such as the juxtaposition of acknowledged and anonymous sources, the inclusion of ‘fake sources’, and a recurring discussion of Greek versus Roman authorities. In contrast, Palladas constructs a persona of himself which resorts to Greek authorities only and, especially, to Homer. Palladas appropriates Homer and the Homeric epics in order to construct his personal voice, whereas the actual discourse about classical authors and authorities remains comparatively flat and limited as compared to Ausonius.

  • Palladas and the Age of Constantine*

  • Kevin W. Wilkinson
  • Journal:
    The Journal of Roman Studies / Volume 99 / November 2009
    Published online by Cambridge University Press:
    08 March 2010, pp. 36-60
    Print publication:
    November 2009

  • This article begins with a review of the traditional dates for Palladas (c. A.D. 360–450) and the current consensus of most scholars (c. A.D. 319–400). The first of these relies almost exclusively on the dubious manuscript lemmata and the second on an interpretation of Palladas' epigrams pertaining to the rise of Christianity and the weakening of the pagan cults, which are supposed to be Theodosian in date. Both timelines are difficult to reconcile with two external clues, which together suggest that his floruit must have been earlier than the second half of the fourth century. Further analysis reveals that the important pagan-Christian epigrams are full of Constantine's political and religious propaganda post-324. Another line of inquiry establishes a new set of dates: c. A.D. 259–340.