Christian Traveler and Historian Sextus Julius Africanus
Sextus Julius Africanus (c. 160 – c. 240 AD) was a Christian historian and traveler of the late 2nd and early 3rd centuries. Renowned for his extensive historical works and scholarly endeavors, Africanus influenced notable figures such as Eusebius of Caesarea and other Church Fathers, shaping the Greek school of chroniclers. Despite his significant contributions, much of Africanus’s life and writings remain shrouded in mystery, preserved only in fragments and references by later historians.
Background and Origins
The Suda describes Africanus as a “Libyan philosopher,” and scholars like Gelzer have hypothesized that he was of Roman and Ethiopian descent. Africanus, however, referred to himself as a native of Jerusalem, where he likely spent part of his early life. He also resided in Emmaus, a neighboring village, whose topography and history were deeply familiar to him, as evidenced by his writings.
Little is definitively known about Africanus’s life. He lived during the reigns of emperors such as Gordian III (238–244) and Severus Alexander (222–235), and he may have been acquainted with Abgar VIII of Edessa (176–213). Records suggest he served under Septimius Severus during the Osroene campaign in 195 AD.
Africanus later undertook a diplomatic mission to Emperor Severus Alexander, successfully securing the restoration of Emmaus, which was subsequently renamed Nicopolis. His movements also included travels to Greece, Rome, and Alexandria, where he studied, likely drawn to the city’s esteemed catechetical school around 215 AD.
Education and Conversion
Africanus demonstrated exceptional linguistic prowess, fluent in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew. This multilingual capability significantly influenced his scholarly pursuits and enabled him to bridge diverse cultural and intellectual traditions.
Before embracing Christianity, Africanus had served as a soldier and adhered to pagan beliefs. His conversion to Christianity marked a turning point in his intellectual life, prompting him to dedicate his subsequent works to Christian apologetics and history.
Ambiguity Regarding Clerical Status
Whether Africanus was a layman or a cleric remains a matter of debate. He addressed Origen, a prominent theologian, as “dear brother,” prompting some, such as Louis-Sébastien Le Nain de Tillemont, to argue that Africanus might have been a priest. However, others, including Gelzer, consider this evidence inconclusive.
Major Works by Sextus Julius Africanus
Chronographiai: A Universal History
Africanus’s magnum opus, Chronographiai, was a five-volume universal history that chronicled the period from Creation to 221 AD. He calculated 5,500 years between Creation and the Incarnation of Christ, placing the latter in 1 BC. While Chronographiai itself has been lost, its influence persists through extensive excerpts preserved by later historians, notably Eusebius in his Chronicon.
Africanus’s historical method was apologetic, seeking to demonstrate the consistency of biblical chronology with historical events. He also sought to resolve apparent discrepancies in the genealogies of Christ as presented by Matthew and Luke. His reconciliation, based on Jewish levirate marriage laws, was preserved in a letter to Aristides.
Kestoi: A Secular Encyclopedic Work
Another significant, though controversial, work attributed to Africanus is Kestoi (“Embroidered”). This encyclopedic treatise covered diverse subjects, including agriculture, natural history, military science, and medicine. Its content, often considered secular and credulous, led some to question its authorship. However, others, like August Neander, argue that Africanus may have written it before his Christian conversion.
Fragments of the Kestoi were discovered among the Oxyrhynchus papyri. These fragments reveal a work intended as a practical guide to material sciences, yet interspersed with curious and miraculous elements.
Letters and Theological Contributions
Africanus’s extant writings include letters addressing theological issues. His correspondence with Origen, in which he questioned the authenticity of the Book of Susanna in the Book of Daniel, highlights his critical and analytical approach. Origen’s lengthy response to this critique further underscores the intellectual rigor of their exchanges.
Historical Influence
Africanus’s Chronographiai significantly influenced Eusebius, who incorporated many of its elements into his Chronicon. Through Eusebius, Africanus’s work also shaped later Byzantine chroniclers like George Syncellus and Cedrenus, as well as the Chronicon Paschale.
By influencing figures like Eusebius and contributing to the development of chronological frameworks, Africanus cemented his place in the intellectual history of the early Church.
Africanus’s methods for calculating biblical chronology, particularly his dating of Creation to approximately 5500 BC, became a foundational framework for subsequent Christian historiography in the Greek-speaking world. His approach exemplifies the early Church’s efforts to harmonize scripture with historical inquiry.
Verification of Moses and Other Historical Claims
Africanus preserved fragments of earlier works, such as those by Polemon of Athens, that offered historical verification of biblical events. One fragment, quoted in Georgius Syncellus’s Chronographia, links the Exodus led by Moses to a division of Egyptians settling in Palestine. This integration of Greek and biblical history reflects Africanus’s broader aim to demonstrate the historical reliability of scripture.
Challenges and Legacy
The disappearance of Africanus’s complete works poses a significant challenge to modern scholars. His writings are known primarily through fragments and references in later sources, making it difficult to assess his full intellectual scope.
The attribution of Kestoi to Africanus has been contested, with skeptics arguing that its secular focus and inclusion of trivial matters are inconsistent with his Christian apologetics. Nevertheless, the work’s survival, albeit fragmentary, underscores its perceived value in antiquity.
Sextus Julius Africanus’s works, though fragmented, reveal a scholar committed to defending and contextualizing the Christian faith within the broader historical narrative.
Despite these challenges, Africanus’s legacy endures as a pioneer of Christian historiography. His synthesis of biblical, historical, and scientific knowledge set a precedent for subsequent historians and theologians.
