Athenagoras
(Ἀθηναγόρας) delivers in Thucydides (6.35_40) the speech which represents the common feeling of the democratical party at Syracuse on the first reports of the intended expedition from Athens, B. C. 415. He is called δήμου προστάτης, who, in Syracuse and other Dorian states, appears to have been an actual magistrate, like the Roman tribunus plebis. (Müller, Dor. 3.9.1.) [A.H.C]
(Ἀθηναγόρας).
1. A Samian, the son of Archestratides, was one of the ambassadors sent by the Samians to Leotychides shortly before the battle of Mycale, B. C. 479. (Hdt. 9.90.)
2. A Milesian, was sent by Ptolemy at the head of some mercenary troops to the assistance of the Rhodians, when they were attacked by Demetrius Poliorcetes (B. C. 305), and commanded the guard of the counter-mine which was dug by the Rhodians. Demetrius attempted to bribe him, but he disclosed his overtures to the Rhodians, and enabled them to make prisoner Alexander, an officer of high rank in the service of Demetrius. (Diod. 20.94.)
3. An officer in the service of Philip, king of Macedonia, B. C. 200. His name occurs not unfrequently in the history of the war between that prince and the Romans. (Liv. 31.27, 35, 43, 32.5, 33.7; Plb. 18.5.)
4. There was an officer of the same name in the service of Perseus, who commanded at Thessalonica in the war with the Romans, B. C. 168. (Liv. 44.32.)
There were several other persons of this name, among whom we may mention a native of Cumae, spoken of by Cicero (pro Flacc. 100.7); a Platonic philosopher, to whom Boethus dedicated his work περὶ τῶν παρὰ Πλάτωνι ἀπορουμένων λέξεων (Photius, Phot. Bibl. 155); and a bishop of Byzantium. (Philipp. Cypr. Chron. p. 4; Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vii. p. 101.) [C.P.M]
(Ἀθηναγόρας), a Grecian philosopher converted to the Christian religion, flourished in the second century of our era His name is unaccountably passed over by Eusebius and Jerome; and the only ancient biographical notice of him is contained in a fragment of Philippus Sidetes, published by Henry Dodwell along with his Dissertationes in Irenaeum. In this document it is stated, that Athenagoras was the first master of the catechetical school at Alexandria, and that he flourished in the days of Hadrian and Antoninus, to whom he addressed an Apology on behalf of the Christians. It is added that he had, before Celsus, intended to write against the Christians ; but when he examined the Holy Scriptures with this view, he became a convert to the faith he had purposed to destroy. It is further asserted by this writer, that Clemens Alexandrinus was the disciple of Athenagoras, and Pantaenus the disciple of Clemens. The authority of Philippus Sidetes was lightly esteemed, even in ancient times; and there are some manifest inaccuracies in the foregoing statement.
Athenagoras's Defense of the Christians was certainly not addressed to Hadrian and Antoninus. It has been contended by some modern scholars, that it was presented to Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus; but it has been shewn by irrefragable proofs, that the emperors to whom it was addressed were Marcus Aurelius and his son Commodus. In this view Baronius, Petavius, Tillemont, Maranus, Fabricius, Lumper, and many others concur. It is certain, again, that Clemens Alexandrinus was the pupil, not the master, of Pantaenus. And it is very improbable that Athenagoras was in any way conneeted with the celebrated catechetical school of Alexandria. Works
All that we know respecting Athenagoras is, that he was an Athenian by birth, a proselyte to Christianity, and the author of the above-mentioned Apology, and of a treatise in defence of the tenet of the resurrection. Both of these are written with considerable ability and elegance, and in a pure Attic style.
In the first, he vigorously combats the charges of atheism, profligacy, and cannibalism, which were preferred against the early Christians.
In the second, he shews with no little ingenuity, that the presumptive arguments against the Christian doctrine of the resurrection are inconclusive. Editions
The best edition of the works of Athenagoras is that of the Benedictines, superintended by Maranus, and published, together with the writings of Justin Martyr, Theophilus of Antioch, and Hermias, in one volume, folio, Paris, 1742.
The other editions of Athenagoras are these: H. Stephani, 1557, reprinted at Zurich in 1559, and at Cologne in 1686; Bishop Fell's, Oxford, 1682 ; Rechenberg's, Leipzig, 1684-85; Dechair's, Oxford, 1706.
His works are also given in the edition of Justin Martyr, published at Paris in 1615, and in the collections of de la Bigne, Gallandi, and Oberthür.
J. G. Lindner's notes to his edition of the Apology for the Christians (Longosal. 1774-75) deserve particular recommendation. Translations
The writings of Athenagoras, with fragments from other ancient authors, were translated into English by David Humphreys, London, 1714. There is an old translation of the treatise on the Resurrection by Richard Porder, London, 1573. Further Information
See T. A. Clarisse, Commentatio de Athenagorae Vita et Scriptis, Lugd. Batav. 1819; Polycarp Leyser, Dissertatio de Athenagora, Lips. 1736. [J.M.M]
(Ἀθηναγόρας), a physician, the author of an unedited treatise on the Pulse and on Urine, of which there is a Latin MS. of the eleventh century in the Royal Library at Paris. Some bronze coins struck at Smyrna in honour of a person named Athenagoras were thought by Dr. Mead (in his Dissert. de Nummis quibusdam a Smyrnaeis in Medicorum Honorem percussis, Lond. 1724, 4to.) to refer to the physician of this name; but this is now generally considered to be a mistake. (See Dict. of Ant. s. v. Medicus.) A work on Agriculture by a person of the same name is mentioned by Varro (De Re Rust. 1.1.9) and Columella (De Re Rust. 1.1.10). [W.A.G]
(Ἀθηναγόρας). A Father of the Church, a native of Athens, and in philosophy a Platonist. He wrote a treatise on the doctrine of the resurrection of the body and a defence of the Christians, blending the teachings of the Greek philosophers with those of the Church. He flourished in the second half of the second century.
- Hdt. 9.90