Herodes Atticus was a wealthy Greek philosopher, teacher and orator who served as a consul and senator under Roman rule.
He is best known as the teacher of the famous stoic, Marcus Aurelius.
Is Atticus In The Bible?
There is no one by the name Atticus in the Bible, neither Catholic nor Protestant one.
The most famous Atticus in history is Herodes Atticus. He lived between the years AD 101–177.
So even though he is not mentioned in the Bible, it is likely that he was alive at the same time as some of the apostles.
He was definitely around during the formation and spread of the early church. However, it’s unclear if he was involved in church matters.
What we know for sure is that he was a prolific financier of public works including the Panathenaic Stadium, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus as well as other theaters, stadiums and aqueducts.
As a teacher and rhetorician, Herodes Atticus also produced many literary works, though sadly none have survived.
Talking of teaching, the Emperor Antoninus Pius invited Atticus to teach his two adopted sons, one of whom was the future emperor Marcus Aurelius.
This role probably saved him later on when he was accused of murdering his wife. When the case was brought to Rome, Marcus Aurelius exonerated his old teacher.
Other People Named Atticus
Another major figure named Atticus is Titus Pomponius Atticus, another wealthy Roman and close friend of Cicero.
There was also a less known philosopher called Atticus during the reign of Marcus Aurelius, and Atticus of Constantinople, who was archbishop of Constantinople.
The Atticus that many of us are familiar with is Atticus Finch, a fictional character in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird.
In the novel, Atticus Finch is a lawyer from Alabama who defends a black man accused of raping a white woman.
