Ælius Aristide et Xénophon

Several ancient literary sources show that Xenophon was regarded during the Imperial period as a preeminent model. This study looks at how Xenophon was received in the speeches of Ælius Aristides – an angle that has not been explored until now. The speeches examined include the Platonic speeches (or. 2-4), the speech Concerning a remark in passing (or. 28), the declamation On behalf of making peace with the Athenians (or. 8), the group of the five Leuctran orations (or. 11-15), the evidence for the lost declamation Callixenus, the Panathenaicus (or. 1) and the speech To Rome (or. 26). Greek history plays a key role in this inquiry, especially since Aristides showed a particular interest in the aftermath of the Battle of Leuctra. The historical allusions to Xenophon’s Hellenica reveal Aristides’ erudition and his attention to the speeches within that work. Studying how Aristides draws on Xenophon can help deepen our understanding of his orations and open up new directions for research on Xenophon’s reception.