Firmicus Maternus, Julius
- Textgroups:
- stoa0123a
- CITE id:
- urn:cite:perseus:author.630
- Stoa id:
- stoa0123a
- Alt id:
- LCCN n 82111816
- Name:
- Firmicus Maternus, Julius
- Abbr:
- Firm.
Firm. Mat.
Jul. Firm.
- Alt names:
- Firmicus Maternus
Maternus, Firmicus
Maternus, Julius Firmicus
Julius Firmicus Maternus
Firmico Materno, Julio
Firm.
Firm. Mat.
Jul. Firm.
- Field of activity:
- Astrologer
Poet
- Notes:
- Oxford classical dict. (Firmicus Maternus, Julius
of Syracuse
wrote
first ca. 334-337 A.D.)
Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, Vol 2,
1867, p. 152-4: "Firmicus Maternus, Julius, or perhaps, VILLIUS. We possess a treatise, which
bears the title Julii Firmici Materni Junioris Siculi V. C. Matheseos Libri VIII., the writer
of which, as we gather from his own statement (lib. iv. praef.), during a portion of his life,
practised as a forensic pleader, but abandoned the profession in disgust. The production named
above is a formal introduction to judicial astrology, according to the discipline of the
Egyptians and Babylonians, as expounded by the most renowned masters, among whom we find
enumerated Petosiris, Necepso, Abraham, and Orpheus..."
Brill's New Pauly: "Came from a respected family, not necessarily of
senatorial rank, probably from Syracuse, his later place of residence. Educated in Latin as
well as Greek, he gave up work as an attorney in Rome during his work on the Matheseos libri
VIII. Written between the end of AD 334 and the beginning of 337 for his friend Lollianus
Mavortius, governor of Campania and proconsul of Africa, it represents the most comprehensive
astrological handbook in Latin. In bk. 1, which is Neoplatonically inspired, F. defends
astrology as a mystery of salvation and throughout the remainder, interrupted by prayers, he
offers the technical explanations, mostly in Lat. terminology. After his conversion to
Christianity, it was certainly the same Firmicus Maternus who between 343 and 350 in De errore
profanarum religionum exposed the gods of the ‘heathens’ as dubious humans (2-17), and the
symbols and rites of the (Neoplatonically elevated) mystery cults, which can be compared to
the Christian ones, as diabolic mimics of the latter (18-27). He called for general conversion
(28f.) and was the first to call upon the emperors (using a Florilegium that was originally
meant to prevent the Christians from apostasy in the persecution around 250
Cypr. De
fortitudine 2-5) to eradicate violently the non-Christian cults...." From Hoheisel, Karl
(Bonn). "Firmicus Maternus, Iulius." Brill's New Pauly. Antiquity volumes edited by: Hubert
Cancik and Helmuth Schneider . Brill, 2010. Brill Online. Tufts University Library. 12 January
2010
- Author info:
- Wikipedia
- Smith's Dictionary
Works Currently Cataloged
De errore profanarum religionum
