Theophanes of Mytilene

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Theophanes of Mytilene (* Mytilene ) was an ancient Greek politician and historian who lived in the 1st century BC. Lived.

Theophanes came from Mytilene on the island of Lesbos , his father's name was Hieroitas. The educated Greek Theophanes was an important political advisor to the Roman general Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus . He accompanied Pompey during his campaign against Mithridates VI. von Pontos and successfully campaigned for the interests of his hometown, which regained independence. Theophanes was granted Roman citizenship , from then on he called himself Gnaeus Pompeius Theophanes ; he was also accepted into the knighthood , probably due to the influence of his patron Pompey. He stayed near him until the fall of Pompey and probably advised him to flee to Egypt, where Pompey was murdered. Theophanes died after 44 BC. Chr .; after his death he received divine honors because of his political services in Mytilene. The descendants of Theophanes should have had some influence in Rome until the early imperial times .

Theophanes wrote a historical work, which is now lost except for a few fragments, which was dedicated to the deeds of Pompey and which probably presented them in an extremely favorable light.

literature

  • Barbara K. Gold: Pompey and Theophanes of Mytilene . In: The American Journal of Philology . 106: 312-327 (1985).

Remarks

  1. ^ Nadja Schäfer: The inclusion of the provincials in the imperial service in the Augustan time . Stuttgart 2000, pp. 65f.
  2. ↑ Plutarch , Pompey 76.
  3. ↑ Cf. also Tacitus , Annales 6:18.
  4. ^ The Fragments of the Greek Historians , No. 188.
personal data
SURNAME Theophanes of Mytilene
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Gnaeus Pompey Theophanes; Theophanes, Gnaeus Pompey
BRIEF DESCRIPTION ancient Greek politician and historian
DATE OF BIRTH before 63 BC Chr.
PLACE OF BIRTH Mytilene , Lesbos
DATE OF DEATH after 44 BC Chr.