Firmiana Caecilius Lucius Lactantius (Lactantius, Lucius Caecilius Firmianus)

Lactantius, Lucius Caecilius Firmiana; Lactantius, Lucius Caecilius Firmianus, OK. 250-ca 330 years. n. e., Roman philosopher and writer. Born, probably in Africa. There also was a rhetorical education. Emperor Diocletian invited him to his eastern capital of Nicomedia in Bithynia as a renowned speaker, so he played there duty conductor. At Nicomedia L. converted to Christianity. When Diocletian issued an edict in 303 AD about the persecution of Christians, A. was forced to leave his post, and possibly leave the city, fearing reprisals. At the same time, he takes up his pen to use it to protect the persecuted religion. After the victory of Constantine the Great was designed to teach them the imperial heir Crisp, who soon died from the hands of his father. - L. is the author of works: Fundamentals of the divine teachings (Divinae Institutiones), . On ruin pursuers (De mortibus persecutorum), . About God's Creation (De opificio Dei), . On the wrath of God (De ira Dei), . abbreviated version of the Fundamentals (Epitome Divinarum Institutionum), . perhaps, . also a poem about Phoenix (De ave Phoenice), . authenticity is challenged,
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L. was a great connoisseur of Latin and Greek literature and ancient philosophy. He openly admitted that in his writings wants to imitate the language of Cicero. Obviously, although he never reached the Roman masters, his style and language is often close to the best examples of Latin classical era. Style LA, however, is extremely heterogeneous: in addition to excellent staunch fragments can see fragments showing deviations from the Latin for "Golden Age" and saying the features of a later time. Despite this, L. was a prominent stylist of the Middle and Late Empire, apparently towering over the other authors. He was called "Christian Cicero". But he was sophisticated theologian or a deep philosopher, and rhetorical education left its mark on the ways of presenting the facts. LA Works, in spite of all this, had great significance in the history of ancient philosophy and Latin literature: we find in them many details about the different authors, sometimes only one.