Sextus Julius Africanus
Greek·Male·3rd century·Judea
Sextus Julius Africanus was a Christian traveler and historian active in the late 2nd and early 3rd centuries. He is known for his world history, Chronographiai, which influenced later church historians like Eusebius. His work attempted to reconcile biblical chronology with secular history, placing Creation in AM 5501.
Key Facts
- ›Authored the Chronographiai, a five-volume history of the world from Creation to 221 AD.
- ›Calculated the period between Creation and Jesus as 5,500 years, placing the Incarnation on March 25, 1 BC.
- ›His major works are no longer extant but are preserved in extracts by Eusebius and other chroniclers.
- ›Traveled to Greece, Rome, and Alexandria to study, demonstrating knowledge of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew.
- ›May have served as a soldier under Septimius Severus and successfully petitioned Emperor Severus Alexander for the restoration of Emmaus.
- ›His authorship of the encyclopedic work Kestoi, covering diverse subjects, is disputed.
Chronographiai, Kestoi
- Chronological Calculations Reconciling Biblical and Secular History.
- Reconciliation of the Genealogies of Christ In Matthew and Luke.
2nd Century, 3rd Century
Judea, Greece, Rome, Alexandria
Greek School of Chroniclers
Eusebius, Later Writers of Church History
Traveler, Historian, Chronicler
About Sextus Julius Africanus
Sextus Julius Africanus: Christian Traveler and Historian
Sextus Julius Africanus (c. 160 – c. 240) was a significant Christian traveler and historian whose work bridged the late 2nd and early 3rd centuries. He is recognized for his profound influence on subsequent Church history writers, most notably Eusebius, and the broader tradition of Greek chroniclers. Africanus's efforts to harmonize biblical history with the secular timeline marked an important development in early Christian historiography.
Life and Historical Context
Little is definitively known about Africanus's life, with approximate dates for his activities ranging across the reigns of emperors like Gordianus III and Severus Alexander. He is believed to have been a native of Jerusalem and lived in the nearby town of Emmaus, which he successfully petitioned Emperor Severus Alexander to restore, leading to its renaming as Nicopolis. His travels took him to Greece, Rome, and Alexandria, where he studied at its famed catechetical school. Africanus possessed a command of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew, and had a background as a soldier and former pagan before his Christian conversion.
Major Contributions and Writings
Africanus is primarily celebrated for his monumental work, the Chronographiai, a five-volume history of the world that spanned from Creation to 221 AD. In this work, he calculated the period between Creation and Jesus as 5,500 years, placing the Incarnation on March 25, 1 BC. This chronological system led to the establishment of several Creation eras in the Greek Eastern Mediterranean. While the Chronographiai is no longer extant, its contents survive through extensive extracts found in the works of Eusebius and other later chroniclers. He also authored the Kestoi, an encyclopedic work on subjects such as agriculture, natural history, and military science, though its authorship and secular, sometimes credulous, nature have been debated by scholars.
Legacy and Influence
Africanus's historical and chronological endeavors significantly impacted early Christian scholarship. His meticulous calculations and attempts to reconcile biblical narratives with historical events provided a framework for later historians. Eusebius, in particular, relied heavily on Africanus's Chronographiai for his own historical compilations, including early episcopal lists. His letter to Aristides, which explained the genealogies of Christ in Matthew and Luke by referencing the Jewish law of Levirate marriage, and his letter to Origen questioning the authority of the Book of Daniel's Susanna story, also highlight his engagement with biblical textual and interpretive issues.
Source: Wikipedia ↗
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Sextus Julius Africanus?
Sextus Julius Africanus was a Christian traveler and historian who lived in the late 2nd and early 3rd centuries. He is known for his comprehensive world history, the Chronographiai, and his influence on later church historians.
What is Sextus Julius Africanus best known for?
He is best known for his Chronographiai, a history of the world from Creation to 221 AD, which attempted to synchronize biblical chronology with secular history. His chronological calculations influenced the dating of Creation in the Greek Eastern Mediterranean.
Where did Sextus Julius Africanus live and travel?
He was a native of Jerusalem and lived in the neighboring Emmaus, which he helped restore and was renamed Nicopolis. He also traveled to Greece, Rome, and Alexandria for study.
What languages did Sextus Julius Africanus know?
Sextus Julius Africanus was proficient in Greek, in which he wrote his works. He also knew Latin and Hebrew.
Are the writings of Sextus Julius Africanus still extant?
His major work, the Chronographiai, is no longer extant in its entirety, but extensive extracts are preserved by Eusebius and other chroniclers. A fragment of his other work, the Kestoi, was found in the Oxyrhynchus papyri.
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