Sopater of Athens (Σώπατρος ὁ Ἀθηναῖος) Sopater of Athens was a 4th-century CE Greek rhetorician and sophist. A student of the Neoplatonist philosopher Iamblichus, he was active within the late antique intellectual milieu [1]. He is distinguished from other historical figures named Sopater, such as a 4th-century BCE comic poet [2].

Works His extant works include the rhetorical handbook Division of Questions (Διαίρεσις ζητημάτων), surviving in fragments, and the treatise Prolegomena to the Art of Rhetoric (Προλεγόμενα τῆς ῥητορικῆς) [1]. He is also attributed with now-lost commentaries on Hermogenes [1].

Significance Sopater is significant for illustrating the intersection of Neoplatonic philosophy and advanced rhetorical education in late antiquity. His technical writings on rhetorical theory, particularly concerning the division of questions, provide insight into the sophisticated frameworks taught in the schools of the period [1].

Sources 1. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Stanford University): https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/byzantine-philosophy/#Rhe 2. Perseus Digital Library (Tufts University): http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0062%3Aentry%3Dsopater-harpers