mountainman

It is evidence like this letter spin which IMO justifies
an historian using the terms "supreme imperial mafia
thug dictator" to accurately portray the character
of Constantine, in the final part of his rule. Just
thought I'd mention such a citation seeing as though
on earlier occasions you have objected to the use
of these descriptive terms, in an historical essay.

mountainman

Further information for anyone interested in the life
and the (unknown and unmentioned) death of the
fourth century academic Porphyry. This is quoted
from Eunapius:

It seems that he entered the married state, and a book of his is extant addressed to his wife Marcella; he says that he married her, although she was already the mother of five children, and this was not that he might have children by her, but that those she had might be educated; for the father of his wife's children had been a friend of his own.

It seems that he attained to an advanced old age.

At any rate he left behind him many speculations
that conflict with the books that he had previously published;
with regard to which we can only suppose
that he changed his opinions as he grew older.

He is said to have departed this life in Rome.

Here IMO it appears that Eunapius provides us with information
related to two issues:

1) The Death of Porphyry: at an advanced age, in Rome.
Born c.233, he would have to have been almost 80 years
old to see Constantine take Rome. So I am still wondering
why Constantine would have said "Porphyry found the
reward which befitted him", unless this was in reference
on to the writings of Porphyry.

2) Did Porphyry write "Against the Christians"?

Above I have suggested that he did not write this work,
or rather fragment of work. Rather, it was written at
Constantine's sponsorship (probably by Eusebius), so
that the rest of the writings of Porphyry could be then
"targetted in revenge".

This conjecture is not without a certain amount of support
in Eunapius above, when he writes:

At any rate he left behind him many speculations
that conflict with the books that he had previously published;
with regard to which we can only suppose
that he changed his opinions as he grew older.

As an addendum to this conjecture, the following quote has
been taken from WIKI on Porphyry:
IMO it is likely that Eusebius himself wrote both Philosophy of the Oracles
and those only very few remaining fragments of Against the Christians, and
by rank forgery, and with the backing of "Bullneck", passed off these works in
the name of Porphyry.

mountainman

At any rate he left behind him many speculations
that conflict with the books that he had previously published;
with regard to which we can only suppose
that he changed his opinions as he grew older.

He is said to have departed this life in Rome.