Concurrent notions of time in the late Roman Principate: Marcus Aurelius and Theophilus of Antioch^*

* Based on research carried out with the assistance of a grant from the National Research Foundation of South Africa. Points of view expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of the National Research Foundation or of its management.

Abstract

Notions of time hove always underpinned the understanding of ourselves and of the times in which we live, and this is no less true of Marcus Aurelius, the emperor-philosopher and of his contemporary, Theophilus of Antioch, the Christian Apologist Aurelius’ Meditations and Theophilus treaty To Autolycus reflect their subjective experiences of time; both, in fact, bespeak the social anxiety generally felt in the Late Principate Marcus transcends the Roman historicist definition and interpretation of time, while Theophilus constructs a new legitimising historicism for Christianity. Both views are reactionary and seek after a greater (social) truth.

Notes

* Based on research carried out with the assistance of a grant from the National Research Foundation of South Africa. Points of view expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of the National Research Foundation or of its management.