There are numerous tales about the Roman and Greek Gods. You must have heard several stories too. Sometimes, a few people gather immense attention by their work or status that they are confused with being the descendants of God or a relative of the same. One such case was with Herodes Atticus. Due to his knowledge and wealth, he was famous among the people and his contemporaries. He has a special place in Roman and Greek history, but do you think there is a mention of Atticus in the Bible? Was the rumor about Atticus God real?
1. Who was Atticus?
You know him by his name Herold Atticus, but his full name was Lucius Vibullius Hipparchus Tiberius Claudius Atticus Herodes. He is referred to as a cultured Greek aristocrat and a wealthy person. He was born in Marathon circa 101 in a family that claims Athenian lineage. He was regarded as an intelligent person in his time. See An Early Renaissance Thinker who studied Classical Literature was?
2. Why was Atticus Wealthy?
Wealth has nothing to do with being from the lineage of God. Atticus belonged to an educated family, where his father was wealthy, and his educated mother was an heiress from a Roman aristocratic family. His father, Tiberius Claudius Atticus Herodes was a Roman Senator. Due to his family relations, Atticus grew up to be a well-connected Greek who easily thrived under the Roman Emperors.
3. Was Atticus Roman Soldier?
No, Herold Atticus was an orator, a public figure, a philosopher, and a teacher. He held public offices and worked as a senator and counsel under Roman rule. However, centuries after his death, a television series named The Chosen was made on the life of Jesus Christ. In the series, a character named Atticus Aemilius Pulcher was a cohort (a term used for ancient Rome military) sent to investigate the Zealots. Check out What Two Important Astronomical Discoveries did the Guptas make?
4. Was Atticus God?
Curious to find out about the presence of Atticus in the Bible? There is no such mention in any historical books where Atticus would be referred to as a God. He was a human being. The confusion about his identity started because his family claimed to be the lineage of the distinguished and historically famous Greeks. Then his claim to be the descendant of the historical Miltiades and Kimon, along with the mythical or legendary Kekrops, Theseus, Telamon, Ajax, and Keryx, strengthened his association with the history of Athens.
5. Was Atticus Roman Jesus?
No, he was not regarded as Jesus in any period or place. Some miracles were happening in Church during his time, but nothing was related to him. An important improvement, though, occurred when a Bishop named Atticus was in the administration of the Church. A paralytic Jew who was bedridden for years and tried everything, but none worked. He believed that Christian Baptism was the only true remedy for him. Read What are the Seven Commandments of Jesus?
6. What did Atticus do for the Jew?
When Atticus, the Bishop, heard about the Jew and his belief in Christian baptism, he instructed the Jew about the 1st principles of the Christian truth. Atticus then preached to him not to lose faith and hope in Christ. He told the Jew that he would be baptized on his bed. The Jew received the baptism with sincere faith in his heart. Once he was out of the Baptism Font, he was miraculously cured and lived a healthy life.
7. Is Atticus in the Bible?
No, there is nothing mentioned in the Bible under the name Atticus. His biography, The Lives of the Sophists mentioned what was known about his life. It was written by the Greek sophist Philostratus, one of his friends. Since the 17th century, various inscriptions have been discovered containing details about Atticus, his family, his wealth, and his activities. All these were discovered in Greece, Italy, and Anatolia (Asia Minor). Hence you can say that there is no one called Atticus in the Bible but his works are listed in many books.
8. Which Positions did he hold during His Lifetime?
The term Agoranomos means an official who controlled the marketplace. Atticus was elected as agoranomos somewhere around 122-125 A.D. Not only this, but he also held other positions under Emperor Hadrian, like,
- Archon of Athens in 126 or 127 A. D.
- Prefect of the free cities in Asia Minor around 134 or 135 A. D.
- Consul Ordinarius and a Senator in 143 A. D.
- Served as Agonothetes (a presiding officer) at the Panathenean and Panhellenic games.
- A priest of the Roman Imperial cult.
- A Sophist teacher, philosopher, and orator.
9. Was He a Teacher to Future Emperors?
Yes, during his stay in Rome, Atticus taught Lucius Verus and Marcus Aurelius. They were the adopted sons of Emperor Antoninus Pius. They both became emperors after their father.
10. Why was Atticus Known as the Great Orator?
As we know that there is no one called Atticus in the Bible, let us learn who he was. Under the Roman Empire, many Greeks felt their rich history was fading. Due to the power in the hands of the Romans, the Greeks hated them. Herodes Atticus was among the rich and the powerful, but he took the stage for the people of Greece and delivered speeches about the bravery of ancient Greek rulers. Philostratus, mentioned in the biography, showed how everyone regarded him as the greatest orator. (See Who killed Lapu-Lapu?)
11. What was his Contribution towards Architecture and Literature?
During his service as a prefect in Asia Minor, he financed public works at Nicea, Sinope, Nicomedia, Claudiopolis, and Prusa. Towards his last years, Atticus returned to Athens. There he continued teaching and writing philosophy and rhetorical pieces. He is said to have written many literary works. He financed public games and building constructions, some of which are mentioned below:
- The Odeion of Herodes Atticus
- Renovation of the Classical Odeion of Pericles
- The Panathenaic Stadium
Other monumental works built by Atticus were temples, fountains, stadiums, theaters, and baths at various locations in Delphi, Rome, Marathon, Olympia, Athens, Canusium (Italy), Corinth, and Patras. Even if there is no mention of Atticus in the Bible, he did great work in his lifetime. Must see What Led to Napoleon’s Fall From Power?
12. Who are Other Notable People Named Atticus?
There were other famous figures in history under the name Atticus. Here is the list of those people.
- Titus Pomponius Atticus was a major figure in history. Other than being wealthy, he was a close friend to Cicero, a Roman statesman, lawyer, and orator.
- Atticus, the philosopher, was not very famous during the reign of Marcus Aurelius.
- Atticus of Constantinople was an archbishop of Constantinople.
- Atticus Finch, the lawyer, is a fictional character in the story To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
So, finally, the confusion about whether there is a mention of Atticus in the Bible or not is cleared now. Now you know there is no Atticus god. Also, there are hardly any people who consider Atticus roman Jesus. Then for the Atticus Roman soldier, you need to watch the series The Chosen. Read What does Hitler is Kaput Mean?
