-psychomachia date of writing—
description: --psychomachia date of writing— The Psychomachia, an allegorical epic poem by the Late Antique Latin poet Prudentius, was written in the early 5th century AD. While its precise date of composition is unknown, scholars generally place its first circulation or publication around c. 400–405 AD. Literary Encyclopedia +3 Key Dating Evidence Terminus Ante Quem: The work was almost certainly completed before 410 AD, as it does not reference the sack of Rome by Alaric, which occurred that year. Publication Context: Prudentius published a collected edition of his works, including an autobiographical preface, in 405 AD. Most scholars believe the Psychomachia was part of this body of work produced late in his life, specifically between 404 and 405 AD. Literary Parallels: Analysis of verbal parallels suggests it was likely written after the last poems of the poet Claudian (c. 404 AD) but before Prudentius' death, which occurred shortly after 405 AD. Project MUSE +3 For those interested in studying the text's historical context or reception, modern scholarly commentaries such as those from Oxford University Press and Princeton University Press provide in-depth analysis of these dating theories. Princeton University Press +1 Would you like to know more about the allegorical themes within the poem or how it influenced medieval literature? --was the original writing in Latin— Yes, the Psychomachia was originally written in Latin. Classically Christian +1 As a Late Antique poet from the Roman province of Tarraconensis (modern-day northern Spain), Prudentius was a prominent figure in the Latin tradition. He composed the poem in dactylic hexameter, the classic meter used by major Latin and Greek epic poets like Virgil. Classically Christian +3 Key Language Facts Latin Tradition: Prudentius is often called the "Christian Virgil" because he used the sophisticated poetic style of classical Latin to express Christian theology. Vocabulary: The title Psychomachia itself is a Latin borrowing…