Greek culture and Humanism in Gerace: Atanasio Calceopulo and Aurelio Bienato

Abstract

This paper delves into the cultural life of Gerace, a city located in southern Calabria during the 15th century, by examining the biography of Bishop Athanasios Chalkeopoulos (ca. 1408-1497), a Greek humanist. The primary source for this exploration is the late 16th-century prelate Ottaviano Pasqua’s account of Chalkeopoulos’ life. This hitherto unexplored source provides valuable insights into the humanistic milieu of Gerace, shedding light not only on Chalkeopoulos’ activities but also on his relationship with the renowned humanist Aurelio Bienato. Bienato, a disciple of Lorenzo Valla, professor at the Studium of Naples, and bishop of Martirano, spent a significant period of his life in Gerace. His burial in the cathedral’s “catacombs” symbolizes his deep affection for the Calabrian city and its erudite Greek bishop. The information presented by Ottaviano Pasqua further aids in establishing a more precise date of birth for Aurelio Bienato, which was previously uncertain and generally speculated to be before the mid-fifteenth century, but can now be reasonably dated to around 1450.