Recommendation Letters of Libanius and Other Late Antique Letter Writers

Wielding Power and Influence through Letter Writing

丛编：

著者：
Bruno Marien
This volume looks into the recommendation letters penned by Libanius and other late antique epistolographers. Marien conducts a detailed analyses of the letters written for the same recommendee to different addressees, reassessing such documents from the perspective of exerting influence within the larger community. As for Libanius, Marien discusses 62 letter sets or 230 letters at least. The author also examines how a recommendation process larger than the recommendation letter itself can be seen in late antique letter collections. At the same time, the volume explores the epistolary practice of judicial interventions occurring in a precise institutional context.
Copyright Year:
2026
电子书 (PDF)
状态:
Not Yet Published
Publisher ISBN:
978-90-04-76536-8
Publication date:
27 Aug 2026
精装本
状态:
Not Yet Published
Publisher ISBN:
978-90-04-76513-9
Publication date:
17 Sep 2026
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Bruno Marien (K.U. Leuven) completed his PhD on the recommendation letters of Libanius in 2023. He is the author of articles and book contributions on the letters of Libanius or other late antique letter writers, and ancient epistolography in general.
Preface
Abbreviations

Introduction: The Broader Cultural Context
 1 Epistolary Theory in Antiquity and Its Modern Interpretations
 2 The Epistolary Process and Its Impact on Communication
 3 From Letter to Collection
 4 Libanius, His Letters and His School

Part 1 The Recommendation Letters of Libanius and Other Epistolographers: Individual Significance and Context



1 The Ancient Recommendation Letter
 1 Recommendation Letters: Features and Purposes
 2 Recommendation Letters and the Limits of the Epistolographer’s Influence
 3 Recommendation Letters of Individual Authors

2 The Recommendation Letter, Part of a Larger Recommendation Process
 1 No Decision Has Been Taken about the Recommendation
 2 A Decision Has Been Taken
 3 Conclusions

Part 2 Libanius – Comparison of Letters Written to Different Addressees on behalf of the Same Recommendee



Introduction: Scholarschip on Libanius

3 Discussion of Individual Letter Sets
 1 Year 355
 2 Years 355–356
 3 Year 356
 4 Year 357
 5 Year 358
 6 Year 359
 7 Year 359–360
 8 Years 360–364
 9 Year 360
 10 Years 360–361
 11 Year 361
 12 Year 362
 13 Year 363
 14 Years 363–364
 15 Year 364
 16 Year 365
 17 Year 388
 18 Years 388–390
 19 Year 390
 20 Year 393

4 Conclusions
 1 Objective Elements: Aim, Contact, Travel Route and Ties with Libanius and Antioch
 2 Recommendation Letters for Specific Categories
 3 How to Approach an Addressee: Different Strategies
 4 Dealing with Addressee or Recommendee: Persuasion, Influence and Information
 5 Rhetoric

Final Considerations
 1 Broader Epistolary Practice
 2 Recommendation Letter: Generalities
 3 Judicial Intervention
 4 Recommendation Letter: Individual Authors
 5 Limits of Influence
 6 Recommendation Process
 7 Recommendation Letters of Libanius Written for the Same Recommendee

Appendix 1: Recommendation Letters of the Authors Discussed
Appendix 2: Letters of Indirect Intervention – First Category
Bibliography
Index
This book will be of great interest to specialists in Libanius and his letters and to post-graduate students interested in ancient letter writing.
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