In The Apologia, Roman writer and philosopher Apuleius delivers a brilliant legal defense speech before a Roman court, refuting charges of sorcery brought against him during his stay in Sabratha. With wit, rhetorical skill, and philosophical insight, Apuleius argues that his scholarly pursuits in philosophy, science, and religion are not criminal but reflect the intellectual traditions of the ancient world. The speech reveals much about Roman provincial life, legal procedure, and the suspicion surrounding learned men accused of occult practices. Part courtroom drama, part intellectual manifesto, The Apologia offers a vivid portrait of a thinker unapologetically defending reason, education, and personal freedom in an age wary of foreign ideas and mystical associations.
