Polemon of Laodicea
Male, Deceased Person
0088 – 0144
Who was Polemon of Laodicea?
Marcus Antonius Polemon or Antonius Polemon, also known as Polemon of Smyrna or Polemon of Laodicea, was a sophist who lived in the 2nd century.
Polemon was Anatolian Greek and originally came from a family of Roman Consular rank. He was born in Laodicea on the Lycus in Phrygia, however, he spent a great part of his life in Smyrna. From early manhood, he received civic honors from the citizens of Smyrna for his services to the city.
Polemon was a master of rhetoric, a prominent member of the Second Sophistic. He was favored by the Roman Emperors Trajan, Hadrian and Antoninus Pius; although there is a famous story of his arrogant behavior towards Antoninus Pius, whom he threw out of his house at midnight when Antoninus was the newly arrived Governor of Asia. Polemon gave the dedicatory oration to Hadrian's Temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens.
Polemon was the head of one of the foremost schools of rhetorics of the Hellenistic Culture in Smyrna. His style of oratory was imposing rather than pleasing; however his character was haughty and reserved. The only full surviving works of Polemon, was the funeral orations of the Athenians generals Callimachus and Cynaegirus, who died at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC. These orations are titled logoi epitaphioi. His rhetorical compositions were subjects that were taken from Athenian history. A treatise on physiognomy is preserved in a 14th-century Arabic translation.
We need you!
Help us build the largest biographies collection on the web!
Citation
Use the citation below to add to a bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"Polemon of Laodicea." Biographies.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 5 May 2024. <https://www.biographies.net/people/en/polemon_of_laodiceia>.
Discuss this Polemon of Laodicea biography with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In