Aalto abi in Tn Te ns ‘sisi un gue Ti mn ey pb a shown below. men ‘Ginn Set Let ap SA0-UK Ceo SS fos Se tS ‘Translated Texts for Historians Volume $1 Selected Letters of Libanius from the Age of Constantius and Julian “Translate with an introduction and noes by SCOTT BRADBURY1. LETTERS FOR FAMILY MEMBERS 1. TO ANTIOCHUS' ent to ?Phoenicia, 356/7) F544 W458 131-4, together with ep. 217/N7I from 360, concem the Syriarchate of an unnamed cousin of Libanius. Most of what we know of the Syriarchy in the fourth century “derives from Libanius’ letters and the dossier of this cousin is especially informative. Like Libanius’ uncles Panolbius and Phasganius, this cousin had in the past (palai) organised the quadrennial Olympic Games at Antioch, which were modelled on the Olympic Games at Elis and still popular in the fourth century. This Antiochene festival was thus Hellenic in origin and dedicated to Olympian Zeus. In 356, the cousin embarked on a new liturgy the office of the Syriarch, who presided over the provincial assembly (synodos) of Syria, originally founded for the orchestration of the imperial cult. The Syriarch was primarily responsible for the production of entertainments, especially at the annual festival coinciding with the convocation of the provincial assembly. Unlike the Olympic Games, this festival was Roman in “origin and dedicated to the reigning emperor, who regulated the scope of the enter- tainments and assisted with financial subventions. B2, for example, mentions the necessity of securing the emperor's ‘nod’, which alludes tothe subvention, and perhaps to imperial approval of the entertainment programme as well. The Syriarch staged various entertainments, including theatrical shows and chariot races, but the great crowd pleaser was the wild beast chases held atthe annual festival. These spectacles, in which professional beast fighters hunted down and fought wild animals, were expensive and logistically complicated to prepare, since animals and fighters often hhad to be sought from neighbouring provinces. Competition among provinces to acquit first-rate animals and fighters was very keen. BI is one among many letters ‘written by Libanius on behalf of friends responsible for staging beast fights and in need of spirited, savage animals. On the Olympic Games and the Syriarchy in the fourth century, see Downey (1939) and Liebeschuetz (1972), 136-44. Liebeschuetz (19596) ‘examines in detail the evidence of Libanius’ leters for the office of the Syriarch. 1 Antiochus it is kinsman by mariage to Libanius.‘tap a sg ymin nb innbuatmdctrs ie Obstet erases sc csp ane ei treiaiy ee imei nan ay SUT amianaa Iaeent nin ta ‘Soto sue neers Tho Chcklmlcmetertmes eect