Editing Minor Fictional Characters in Thessalonica

This article lists the various minor fictional characters who appear in ''[[Thessalonica]]''. Most appeared in only one scene, or had a very brief, unimportant speaking role that did not impact the plot, and never appeared again.

==Antonius==
'''Antonius''' was a potter with a reputation as a grouch. [[Irene (Thessalonica)|Irene]] purchased pots from him often, rather than from the brothers [[Leo (Thessalonica)|Leo]] and [[Zeno (Thessalonica)|Zeno]].<ref>''[[Thessalonica]]'', pg. 400.</ref>

==Basil==
'''Bald Basil''' was a [[Thessalonica (Thessalonica Novel)|Thessalonica]] militiaman. Basil and [[John (Thessalonica)|John]] were sleeping while [[Victor (barber)|Victor the barber]] took watch duty. Bored Victor decided to shave John's head. When John woke up, he said that Basil had woken Baldy instead. John used this anecdote in his stage act.<ref>Ibid., pg. 398.</ref>

==Dalmatius==
'''Dalmatius''' was an oil seller in [[Thessalonica (Thessalonica Novel)|Thessalonica]], who lived on the next street over from [[George (Thessalonica)|George's]] shoe shop. His daughter was [[Lucretia (Thessalonica)|Lucretia]] whom he was able to keep surprisingly well fed, even during a time of barbarian siege.<ref>Ibid., pgs. 376-377.</ref>

==Felix==
'''Felix''' was a farmer who came to [[George (Thessalonica)|George the shoemaker]] to buy a pair of sandals. He brought news of new, unidentified supernatural creatures in the woods.<ref>Ibid., pgs. 14-16.</ref>

==Germanus==
'''Germanus''' was a nobleman for whom [[George (Thessalonica)|George]] made a pair of boots. Germanus was so pleased that he paid George even more than the asking price.<ref>Ibid., pgs. 17, 43, 135.</ref>

==Gregory==
'''Father Gregory''' was a priest in [[Thessalonica (Thessalonica Novel)|Thessalonica]]. During the siege of 597, a [[Slavs (Thessalonica)|Slavic]] water-[[demon (Thessalonica)|demon]] appeared in a cistern and began attacking people. Gregory made the sign of the Cross and called on the names of [[God (Thessalonica)|God]] and the saints. While this would have cast out an ordinary demon, the Slavic variety were made of sterner stuff. The water-demon ignored Gregory's oaths, picked him up, and smashed him to a bloody mess against the ground.<ref>Ibid., pgs. 92-95.</ref>

==Helen==
'''Helen''' was the wife of [[Leo (Thessalonica)|Leo the potter]], and the mother of [[Constantine (Thessalonica)|Constantine]]. She died in the epidemic of 595.<ref>Ibid., pg. 248.</ref>

==Helena==
'''Helena''' was the mother of [[Irene (Thessalonica)|Irene]], and two other children who died young. Irene's husband [[George (Thessalonica)|George]] remembered Helena as a very pleasant woman, contrary to the popular notion of a mother-in-law. Helena died in the epidemic of 595.<ref>Ibid., pgs. 50-51, 249.</ref>

==Joseph==
'''Joseph''' (b. ''c.'' 585) was the son of [[Benjamin (Thessalonica)|Benjamin the coppersmith]]. He was instinctively wary of Gentiles.<ref>Ibid., pgs 146-147.</ref>

==Lucius and Maria==
'''Lucius and Maria''' were a pair of musicians who performed [[Sicily|Sicilian]] and Illyrian folk music at [[Paul (Thessalonica)|Paul's]] bar. They were infamous for their awful playing.<ref>Ibid., pgs. 142-143.</ref>

==Lucretia==
'''Lucretia''' was the daughter of [[Dalmatius (Thessalonica)|Dalmatius]] the oil seller. She was unusually plump in a time of siege. When [[Thessalonica (Thessalonica Novel)|Thessalonica]] was delivered from the barbarian invasion, Lucretia kissed [[Theodore (Thessalonica)|Theodore]] the apprentice shoemaker in the streets, even though the two did not know each other very well.<ref>Ibid., pgs. 376-377.</ref>

==Peter==
'''Peter''' was a miller in [[Thessalonica (Thessalonica Novel)|Thessalonica]]. [[Irene (Thessalonica)|Irene]] made a pair of boots for him, shortly before the siege of 597.<ref>Ibid., pg. 8.</ref>

==Philotechnus==
'''Philotechnus''' was an [[Ancient Greece (Thessalonica)|ancient Greek]] magical philosopher, whose wisdom included the maxim, "Do not call up that which you cannot put down."<ref>Ibid., pg. 354.</ref>

===Literary comment===
The name "Philotechnus" literally translates as [[H.P. Lovecraft|"Lovecraft"]]. The "philosophical quote" is a popular paraphrase from [https://lovecraft.fandom.com/wiki/The_Case_of_Charles_Dexter_Ward "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward"].

==Pholus==
'''Pholus''' was one of the [[Centaur (Thessalonica)|centaurs]] in [[Crotus]]' band.<ref>Ibid., pg. 338.</ref>

===Literary comment===
This character may be the same as [[Pholus]] in "[[The Horse of Bronze]]," although Pholus is a common name for centaurs in ancient mythology.

==Tachypus==
'''Tachypus''' was one of the [[Centaur (Thessalonica)|centaurs]] in [[Crotus]]' band. Despite the "us" at the end of her name, she was female.<ref>Ibid., pg. 338.</ref>

==Gaius Thynes==
Around AD 100, a man named '''Gaius Thynes''' went to the shrine of [[Asclepius]] in [[Thessalonica (Thessalonica Novel)|Thessalonica]] and was cured of his illness. Nearly five centuries later, the shrine had been repurposed for the [[Christianity (Thessalonica)|Christian]] hero [[St. Demetrius (Thessalonica)|St. Demetrius]], but Thynes' inscription was still visible on a wall.<ref>Ibid., pg. 39.</ref>

==Victor (barber)==
'''Victor''' was a [[Thessalonica (Thessalonica Novel)|Thessalonican]] barber, and member of the city defense militia. One night, Victor was on guard duty while his companions [[John (Thessalonica)|John the comedian]] and [[Basil (Thessalonica)|Bald Basil]] slept. Bored Victor decided to shave John's head and make him look just like Basil, and the woken John looked at himself and said that Victor must have woken Basil by mistake. John used this anecdote in his stage act.<ref>Ibid., pg. 398.</ref>

==Victor (prefect)==
'''Victor''', city prefect of [[Thessalonica (Thessalonica Novel)|Thessalonica]], was a very fat man. In 597, Victor gave an extremely boring speech to the people, encouraging them to remain strong and trust in [[God (Thessalonica)|God]] and the saints to protect them from the [[avar (Thessalonica)|Avar]] invasion. He then announced his intention to travel to [[Constantinople]] and petition [[Maurice (Thessalonica)|Emperor Maurice]] for more soldiers to garrison the city. [[Eusebius (Thessalonica)|Bishop Eusebius]] was to look after Thessalonica in Victor's absence, and pray for the prefect's eventual safe return. Audience member [[George (Thessalonica)|George]] noticed that the bishop seem to put emphasis on the word "eventual."<ref>Ibid., pgs. 24-26.</ref>

==Zeno==
'''Zeno''' was a potter who lived near the church of [[St. Demetrius (Thessalonica)|St. Demetrius]]. His brother [[Leo (Thessalonica)|Leo]] was also a potter.<ref>Ibid., pg. 248.</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Thessalonica}}
[[Category:Minor Characters|*Thessalonica]]
[[Category:Thessalonica Characters|*]]