Prohaeresius (Greek: Προαιρέσιος, Prohairesios;[1] c. 276 – c. 368) was a fourth-century Armenian Christian teacher and rhetorician originally from Caesarea who taught in Athens.
[3] No textbooks written by Prohaeresius survive today, but his influence as a teacher is described by famous sophists and rhetoricians of the second half of the fourth century such as Himerius and Libanius.
[4] Attracted by the fame of this genius of erudition, the emperor Constans invited him to his palace in Gaul and entertained him magnificently, though the guest was very simple and ascetic in habits.
Julian the Apostate, a scholarly man who was made emperor against his desire in 361, greatly admired Prohaeresius, and in a letter spoke of his "exuberant and overflowing stream of speech...mighty in discourse, just like Pericles".
[2] Otherwise, Eunapius described Prohaeresius in pagan terms by comparing him to famous Greek mythological figures (Geryon and Hermes) and Athenian ruler Peisistratus.