Himerius

Himerius (Ancient Greek: Ἱμέριος; c. 315 – c. 386) was a Greek sophist and rhetorician. He was born in Prusias ad Hypium in Bithynia and completed his education in Athens. In 362, he was summoned to Constantinople by Emperor Julian, possibly to serve as his private secretary. After Julian's death in the following year, Himerius returned to Athens, where he founded a school of rhetoric that attracted students from all over the world. Among his notable pupils were Gregory of Nazianzus and Basil the Great. Himerius was granted civic rights and membership in the Areopagus in recognition of his merits. His health declined due to the deaths of his son Rufinus and a favorite daughter, and he eventually became blind and died of epilepsy. Despite being a pagan, his works did not attack Christians. Himerius is considered a representative of the later rhetorical schools. While 71 of his speeches were read by Photius, 24 complete orations and fragments of 12 others survive. His works are characterized by vigorous language and descriptive power, though sometimes marred by excessive imagery and obscurity. They are valuable for understanding the history and social conditions of his time.