Un palcoscenico per i sofisti: uso e trasformazione della città di Atene nelle Vite dei Sofisti di Filostrato

Abstract

This article examines the role of the city of Athens in Philostratus' Lives of the Sophists, focusing on selected passages that mention Athenian monuments. The dual aim is to assess the contextual rationale for these references within the work and to explore the potential of the Lives as a historical-topographical source for the urban and archaeological reconstruction of Athens in the Roman Imperial period. The paper argues that Philostratus's references to architectural monuments are neither incidental nor purely decorative but form part of a deliberate narrative strategy. The investigation pays special attention to the close ties between Philostratus and Athens, emphasizing his concern for factual accuracy and his use of topography to reinforce the prestige of the sophists. Key case studies include Herodes Atticus's extensive building program - the Panathenaic Stadium, the Odeion in memory of Regilla, and the Temple of Tyche - and the ceremonial path of his Panathenaic ship, which redefined sacred urban routes by incorporating traditional religious sites such as the Eleusinion and the Pythion. These case studies highlight the interaction between urban transformation and rhetorical display. Through the analysis of additional sites, such as the Agrippeion and the Olympieion, and their connections to figures like Alexander of Seleucia, Philagrus of Cilicia, and Polemon of Laodicea, the article reveals how Philostratus articulates a vision of the city as a theatrical backdrop that legitimizes and elevates the sophistic enterprise. From this perspective, the Lives embody the spirit of the Second Sophistic by using the monumental landscape of Athens as a medium through which historical continuity and alignment with imperial power are articulated.