Nonnius was born in Panopolis, Egypt, in the 5th century AD, and his peak should be placed around the years 440-490. The biographical information available about him is minimal. It seems to be a fact that the pagan Nonnius became a Christian towards the end of his life (although there are no reliable details regarding this).
Corresponding to his earlier and later periods of life are, respectively, his works 'Dionysiaca' and 'Transformation of the Gospel According to John'. The 'Dionysiaca' - an epic work consisting of 48 books, written in hexameter verse - is his main and most well-known work, identified with the name of its creator.
Its central theme is the campaign of the god Dionysus in India, a land he conquered as a warrior with weapons and as a god with his supernatural powers. However, alongside this central narrative, the poet unfolds a multitude of mythological episodes that traverse the life of the god from his birth (and even before that) until his deification, also including many more or less related stories from other thematic circles.
In this way, Nonnius creates a vast and detailed summary, we would say, of Greek mythology. The epic composition of the Dionysiaca is a reflection, on a mythological-literary level, of the campaign and conquests of Alexander the Great.
14 Coins
To earn Skroutz Coins, join Skroutz Plus and accept the terms of the reward program.