Customer Reviews

Philostratus, The Life of Apollonius of Tyana: Volume II. Books 6-8. Epistles of Apollonius. Eusebius: Treatise (Loeb Classical Library No. 17)

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This biography, published in 217 predates the Council of Nicaea by 108 years. Certainly its author was much closer in time to the events of religious interest that began around 4 B.C.E. than were the gentlemen who put gathered the stories that became the New Testament, used by many religious groups today as the basis of their historical orientation. Further Philostratus had access to many personal letters of Apollonius himself and the memoirs of his long time disciple, Damis, who devotedly wrote down nearly everything Apollonius said. Scholars are still piecing the story of why we've heard so little of Apollonius of Tyana, who lived around 100 years and was well known in his time, and why so many events of his life were attributed to Jesus, of whom almost no one had heard prior to 325. At least there is no reason today, after 1700 years, for this story to remain hidden. Via the miracle the Internet, anyone can order a copy of The Life of Apollonius of Tyana (get both volumes - Amazon doesn't make it clear you need both and sells them separately) and see what ancient spin-doctors didn't want you to see! The original Greek is shown side by side with the English translation in this Harvard University Press edition.

Oh, this just might become part of your own spiritual journey!

The story of the life of Apollonius rings true to me. When I read this volume (and volume one), I got the impression that Apollonius was simply a remarkable individual who sought(and found?) the ideal "way to live". In other words, a true philosopher. A real person like you or I. He was also a campaigner for social reform and an activist of sorts, advising and supporting Roman emperors he believed to be virtuous and actively campaigning against perceived tyrants(ie. Nero). What's not to like(or believe)?

I'd highly recommend both volumes to anyone with an open mind and a critical eye.

The stories about Jesus' life were known to people long before the year 325. We have huge fragments of the Gospels both cannonical and non-cannonical over a century before the year 325. Some pagan writers such as Celsus and Lucian of Samosata wrote about the founder of Christianity in the late second century. Origen, a Christian teacher in the mid-third century, enjoyed some fame in his time, as is proved by a fragment of the work of the anti-Christian writer Porphyry of Tyre preserved in Eusebius' Church History Book 6 chapter 19, which makes the possiblilty that his teachings about Jesus also became at least somewhat known with him. In the year 300 AD, 25 years before the Council of Nicaea, Christians numbered about 6 million in the Roman Empire, which was about 10% of the Empire's population, and there were at least some Christians located outside of Roman territiory in places like Persia. These numbers are based on evidence that is available concerning Church membership in the early Church. The Gospels were most likely written around the late first and or early second century, ie. within a century of Jesus' death.

This work was interesting. I plan on reading it again eventually. I would recommend it to people who are interested in Greek teachers and their culture.

I don't like it when poeple say that this could have been a source for the details of Christ. It could be true but for all we know the exact opposite could be correct. The Gospels did not appear around the year 325 as tobeyl claims since we have fragments of the Gospels from well over a century before that time as well as a manuscript containing most of John's Gospel that was copied around AD 200. Nor have I ever heard tobeyl's outrageous claim that the first Christinas were wiped out by Caligula.

This book itself isn't bad and I am almost done reading book 8 of the work. I would recomend it only to people who are really interested in the subject.