THE ALEXANDRIAN TYCHAION AND THE DATE OF PS.-NICOLAUS PROGYMNASMATA*

摘要

The purpose of this article is twofold. First, I offer evidence to corroborate C.M.nBowra’s theory that the Alexandrian Tychaion was converted into a tavern in c. 391nC.E. I take his theory one step further in suggesting that the temple’s divine statuesnmust have been removed or destroyed at the same time. I place the conversion of thenAlexandrian Tychaion in the context of other contemporary threats to pagan templesnin general and specifically to temples of Tyche, and I argue that its conversion wasnpart of an imperial programme intended to decommission certain high-profile paganntemples in a conspicuous, morally degrading fashion. I also offer two new interpretationsnof the last two certain literary references to the Tychaion, in works describingnevents from the late fifth and early seventh centuries. Second, I aim to use thenconversion of the Tychaion to redate the progymnasmata of Ps.-Nicolaus, whichninclude an ecphrasis of the unaltered Tychaion, to the late fourth or early fifthncenturies. I identify Ps.-Nicolaus as a likely student of Aphthonius (who was in turn anstudent of Libanius), which would explain both his adherence to Aphthonian theorynand his dependence upon Libanius’ model exercises.