Choricius of Gaza

Choricius of Gaza was a rhetorician and sophist, who lived in the 6th century AD.

Choricius was a pupil of the rhetorician Prokopios of Gaza and became his successor as teacher of rhetoric in Gaza.

From his writings several epideictic speeches are preserved ( grave, praise and festive speeches), which are important sources for the history of the Church of his time. In addition, there are eleven practice speeches (Greek μελέται ), have the mythical, historical and fictitious persons related to topic. This exercise speeches are teaching pieces for his students, which precede brief introductions ( θεωρίαι ).

Choricius possessed a broad knowledge of classical literature. He enriched his speeches with numerous quotations and allusions to and used a special style: He avoided Hiate and leaned on the Attic parlance. In the Byzantine era, it was because of his style as a pattern author.