Aelius Aristides was a Greek orator and author of the Roman imperial period, living from about 117 to 181 CE. He is considered a leading figure of the Second Sophistic, a cultural movement focused on reviving classical Greek language and learning. Born into a wealthy family in Mysia, he received an elite education in rhetoric. His life was famously dominated by chronic illness, which he documented in great detail in his autobiographical Sacred Tales. These writings describe his long sickness, dreams, and the treatments he received from the god Asclepius at healing sanctuaries.
Despite his poor health, Aristides maintained an active career as a practicing orator. His surviving works include 55 orations, ranging from ceremonial display speeches to political appeals. One of his most notable achievements was successfully persuading Emperor Marcus Aurelius to fund the reconstruction of Smyrna after a devastating earthquake in 178 CE. Other important works include a panegyric To Rome, praising the empire, and the Panathenaic Oration, a lengthy tribute to Athens that imitates classical Athenian style.
According to modern scholars, Aristides holds a dual significance. First, his formal orations are masterful examples of the period's rhetorical art and its deep engagement with the classical past. Second, his Sacred Tales provide an unparalleled personal account of illness, religious healing, and dream interpretation in the ancient world, offering unique insights into ancient medicine and spirituality. His works were highly valued in later centuries as models of pure Attic Greek prose.
Available Works
Προσφωνητικός Σμυρναϊκός
Address to Smyrna
5 passages
Συμβουλευτικὸς περὶ τοῦ μὴ δεῖν κωμῳδεῖν
Advisory-Not Needing to Comedize
9 passages
Κατὰ τῶν ἐξορχουμένων
Against the Dancers
16 passages
Συμμαχικὸς Β.
Allied B. To Thebans-the Alliance
15 passages
Ἀπελλᾶ γενεθλιακός
Birthday of Apellas
8 passages
Πρεσβευτικὸς πρὸς Ἀχιλλέα
Embassy to Achilles
13 passages
Ῥώμης ἐγκώμιον
encom of Rome
32 passages
Πανηγυρικὸς ἐν Κυζίκῳ περὶ τοῦ ναοῦ
Festival Speech in Cyzicus-the Temple
12 passages
Πανηγυρικὸς ἐπὶ τῷ ὕδατι ἐν Περγάμῳ
Festival Speech-the Water in Pergamum
1 passages
Ἐπὶ Ἀλεξάνδρῳ ἐπιτάφιος
Funeral OratiAlexander
11 passages
εἰς Ἐτεωνέα ἐπικήδειος
Funeral Oration for Eteoneus
6 passages
Ἰσθμικὸς εἰς Ποσειδῶνα
Heracles
6 passages
Ὑπὲρ τῆς πρὸς Ἀθηναίους εἰρήνης
In Favor of Peace with the Athenians
8 passages
Ὑπὲρ τῆς πρὸς Λακεδαιμονίους εἰρήνης
In Favor of Peace with the Lacedaemonians
9 passages
Ἰσθμικὸς εἰς Ποσειδῶνα
Isthmian to Poseidon
12 passages
Ἐπιστολὴ περὶ Σμύρνης
Letter-Smyrna
5 passages
Λευκτρικὸς Α.
Leuctrian A. In Favor of Lacedaemonians First
20 passages
Λευκτρικὸς Β.
Leuctrian B. In Favor of Thebans First
21 passages
Λευκτρικὸς Γ.
Leuctrian C. In Favor of Lacedaemonians Second
10 passages
Λευκτρικὸς Δ.
Leuctrian D. In Favor of Thebans Second
9 passages
Λευκτρικὸς Ε.
Leuctrian E. In Favor of Helping Neither
12 passages
Μονῳδία ἐπὶ Σμύρνῃ
Monody-Smyrna
4 passages
Περὶ ὁμονοίας ταῖς πόλεσιν
On Concord in the Cities
22 passages
Περὶ πολιτικοῦ λόγου
On Political Discourse
28 passages
Περὶ τοῦ πέμπειν βοήθειαν τοῖς ἐν Σικελίᾳ
On Sending Aid to Those in Sicily
13 passages
Περὶ τοῦ παραφθέγματος
On the Paraphrase
37 passages
Παλινῳδία ἐπὶ Σμύρνῃ καὶ τῷ ταύτης ἀνοικισμῷ
Palinode-Smyrna and Its Rebuilding
7 passages
Ποιητικὰ Ἀποσπάσματα
Poetic Fragments
4 passages
Σμυρναϊκὸς πολιτικός
Political Speech for Smyrna
7 passages
Ἱεροὶ λόγοι πέμπτος
Sacred Words Fifth
15 passages
Ἱεροὶ λόγοι πρῶτος
Sacred Words First
18 passages
Ἱεροὶ λόγοι τέταρτος
Sacred Words Fourth
26 passages
Ἱεροὶ λόγοι δεύτερος
Sacred Words Second
19 passages
Ἱεροὶ λόγοι ἕκτος
Sacred Words Sixth
1 passages
Ἱεροὶ λόγοι τρίτος
Sacred Words Third
12 passages
Λαλιὰ εἰς Ἀσκληπιόν
Speech to Asclepius
5 passages
Πρὸς Καπίτωνα
To Capitolinus
16 passages
Πρὸς Δημοσθένη περὶ ἀτελείας
To Demosthenes-Exemption
33 passages
Πρὸς Λεπτίνην ὑπὲρ ἀτελείας
To Leptines in Favor of Exemption
86 passages
Πρὸς Πλάτωνα ὑπὲρ τῶν τεττάρων
To Plato in Favor of the Four
200 passages
Πρὸς Πλάτωνα περὶ ῥητορικῆς
To Plato-Rhetoric
115 passages
Εἰς τὸν Σάραπιν
To Serapis
10 passages
Εἰς τὸ Αἰγαῖον πέλαγος
To the Aegean Sea
5 passages
Εἰς τὸ ἐναντίον
To the Opposite
16 passages
Ῥοδίοις περὶ ὁμονοίας
To the Rhodians-Concord
15 passages
Εἰς τὸ φρέαρ τοῦ Ἀσκληπιοῦ
To the Well of Asclepius
5 passages
Πρὸς τοὺς αἰτιωμένους ὅτι μὴ μελετῴη
To Those Accusing of Not Practicing
9 passages