Marius Victorinus

Biography

Originally from Africa, where he was born around 280, Victorinus lived in Rome from 350, when the emperor Constantius, who was favourable to the Arians, became sole ruler of the West. A famous rhetorician and philosopher (he even had his statue in the Forum), he converted at a late age (see Augustine, Conf. VIII, 2, 3-5) and requested baptism not long before St. Augustine. He gave up his teaching post in rhetoric when, in 362, the Emperor Julian forbade Christian teachers to give lessons. Nothing more is known about him after this date.

Though less knowledgeable in Christian theology than in Platonic philosophy, he nevertheless attempted, in a series of anti-Arian writings, to expound a Trinitarian theology in the light of Neoplatonism.

Works

• Adversus Arium (ad Candidum Arianum)
• Commentarii in epistulas Pauli ad Galatas, ad Philippenses, ad Ephesios
• De generatione diuini Verbi (ad Candidum Arianum)
• De homoousio recipiendo
• Hymni III de Trinitate

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