Libanius of Antioch and His Letter Carriers

I am currently reading the book "The School of Libanius in Late Antique Antioch" by Raffaella Cribiore. It features the life and work of Libanius of Antioch who taught rhetoric in Constantinople and Nicomedia but settled in Antioch when he accepted a chair of rhetoric. Though Libanius was a pagan, he taught several notable Christian scholars including John Chrysostom, Basil the Great and had some dealings with Gregory of Nazianzus and Gregory of Nyssa. Another famous student of his was Julian who became Emperor, better known as Julian the Apostate. I find it fascinating that both Christian and pagan alike had the same educational background at the time. Apparently, John Chrysostom despised his formal teacher and openly mocked him in his work "On Babylas" (Cribiore, 140). There are a significant number of his letters that survive to this day. There are a few interesting details in the book that I find tantalizing. One is that Libanius would write letters that would give reports of his student's progress to their parents or guardians. These reports were often summarized by the letter carriers. One such letter Cribiore translates in the book.

(ca. 355 CE)

To Eupator,

Your children are enduring in Daphne the work that ends in summer. They have our permission so that the trees, the waters, and the breezes may make their task more palatable. If someone criticizes them on account of the place, let it be known that he is, in truth, a false accuser.
The bearer of this letter will tell you what I think about both of them. I consider both you and your sons blessed because of him: Olympius, the best of men on earth, cares about your family. (Cribiore, 262)

Several of Libanius's students were from outside Antioch and were sent there to study under Libanius along with their slave, a pedagogue, that was entrusted with their learning. These pedagogues were often tasked by the parent or guardian of the student with giving regular updates and progress reports. In one of Libanius's progress reports, he mentions that the student's pedagogue is the letter carrier and is tasked with giving greater details of the students progress once he arrives.

(ca. 359/360 CE)

To Letoius iii

When you participated in the meeting concerning important matters that was called in the presence of a friend of ours, you said that your nephew was with us and that you intended to write to him and to me about him, but you did not do either. We, however, are writing and are sending the pedagogue, who does not allow us to write a long letter. If I praised this young man at length, he is the one you would ask if my words were true, so it is better to give my report about these things to him. (Cribiore, 290)

That Libanius relies not only on a trusted letter carrier to deliver his message, but to elaborate on it has several parallels in the New Testament. For example, in Ephesians 6:21, Paul relies on Tychicus to not only bear his letter but to give a more detailed report as well. 

So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts. (Ephesians 6:21-22)

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Raffaella Cribiore, "The School of Libanius in Late Antique Antioch" (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2007)