Helladius (grammarian)

Helladius (Greek: Έλλάδιος) was a Byzantine period grammarian, professor, and a priest of Zeus during the 4th and 5th centuries.

Helladius was a professor of some distinction in Alexandria. In 391, he was involved in a violent revolt centred at the Serapeum, where the pagan rebels tortured and killed captured Christians, with Helladius reportedly personally killing nine Christians.^[1] After the suppression of the revolt and the destruction of the temple, Helladius fled to Constantinople,^[2][3]

By the reign of Theodosius II (408–450 A.D.), he was back to actively teaching grammar.^[3] Socrates of Constantinople in his youth was one of his pupils.^[4] Helladius was granted comitiva ordinis primi by this emperor in 425 A.D., by virtue of which he became ranked among the ex vicarii.^[5]

Helladius compiled a Greek lexicon entitled λεξικὸν κατὰ στοιχεῖου^[7] or τῶν λέξεων συλλογή^[8] according to Photius; elsewhere it is stated the lexicon bore the title λέξεως παντοίας χρῆσις κατα στοῖχειον.^[9] Helladius was one of the important sources used by the Suda as well.^[3][2][6]

Notes

1. Socrates Scholasticus, Hist. Eccl. 5.16.
2. Davids (1880), p. 891.
3. Matthaios (2015), p. 268.
4. Socrates of Constantinople, Historia Ecclesiastica, v. 16.^[2]
5. Codex Theodosianus VI, xxi.^[2]
6. Smith (1870), p. 376.
7. Photonius, codex 145.^[6]
8. Photonius, Bibl. 158, p. 100a. 38 ed. Bekker, cited by Smith,^[6] Davids.^[2]
9. Called this by Suda according to Smith,^[6] but this too is given by Photonius, codex 165, according to Davids.^[2]

References

• Matthaios, Stephanos (2015). Greek Scholarship in the Imperial Era and Late Antiquity. BRILL. p. 268. ISBN 9789004281929. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
•  Smith, William, ed. (1870). "Helladius (1)". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Vol. 2. p. 376.

Attribution:

• This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: Davids, T.W. (1880). "Helladius (15)". In Smith, William; Wace, Henry (eds.). A Dictionary of Christian Biography, Literature, Sects and Doctrines Being a Continuation of the Dictionary of the Bible. Vol. 2. J. Murray. p. 891.