INTRODUCTION

Most of the information we possess concerning the life of Agathias

derives from his own writings. The following is a bare outline of the main
facts which emerge from a consideration of the explicit and implicit autobiographical data contained in these writings. I
Agathias was a native of Myrina in Asia Minor. His date of birth cannot
be determined exactly but may be placed somewhere around the year 532
A. D. His father, Memnonius, was a "rhetor" , a title whidr may imply, as
in Myrina. His mother,
Pericleia, died in Constantinople when he was only three years of age. It
was probably in Constantinople too that Agathias'boyhood days were spenr.
He received an expensive education, studying rhetoric in Alexandria and law
in Constantinople. Once qualified he practised as a lawyer in the capital
where, from all accounts, he had to work hard in order to make a living. The
date of his death is as uncertain as that of his birth. trr musr have occutred
some time after the death of Chosroes in 579 (the last datable evenr menrioned in the Histories) and before the accession of the Emperor Maurice in
582 in view of the apparent ignorance of this latrer evenr berayed by
Agathias when he refers to the future Emperor simply as "Maurice the son
of Paul" 3. On this red<oning, then, it will be seen tht he was 33 years old
when Justinian died n 565 and that he lived through the reign of Justin II
and a part of that of Tiberius I Constantine.
'
Agathias' literary activity is marked in its first and youthful phase by the
production of " a number of short pieces in hexameters entitled u Daphniaca",
adorned with certain amoroLrs motifs and replete with similary endranting
topics". a The Daphniaca have.not come down to us. They were probably
cornpleted before their author had reac}ed the age of thirty. s To an interme.liate period belongs his work of compiling a collection of epigrams by
ontemporary poets, generally known as the Cycle,6 to which Agathias himself contributed apptoximately one hundred poems. This anthology ws
published early on in the reign of Justin II, probably in 567.7
has been suggested,2 that he was a provincial lawyer

For

a detailed and comprehensive reatment the readet must consult Averil Carneron
Agathias (Gxford 1970), pages 1-11.
2 By N{rs. Cameron: op. cit. p.4.

3 Histories IV,29,8.

s cf. lrs. Cameron: Op. cit. p. 9.

4 Ptef.ace,l.
6 Much of it has been preserved and is to be found in the Greek Anthology.
z d. Ivlrs. Cameron: ibid.