Apuleius

Apuleius was a Roman-Berber author, philosopher, and rhetorician born around 124 AD in Madauros, a Roman colony in Numidia (modern-day Algeria). Educated in Carthage, Athens, and Rome, he was a master of Latin prose and a devoted follower of Platonic philosophy. He is best remembered for "The Golden Ass" (also known as Metamorphoses), the only Latin novel to survive in its entirety, a wildly imaginative tale of magic, transformation, and spiritual redemption. Apuleius also faced a famous trial for allegedly using magic to win a wealthy widow's affections, which he documented in his spirited defense, the Apologia.