Late Antique Historiography

On the doctrines of the philosophers

Title(s):
  • On the doctrines of the philosophers
  • De dogmatibus philosophorum
    (De dogmatibus philosophorum, On the doctrines of the philosophers)
  • De vestigiis philosophorum
    (De vestigiis philosophorum, On the traces of the philosophers)
Author:
Period covered:
Unknown (fragments include references to Socrates)
Language:
Latin
State of Preservation:
Fragmentary
Genre:
  • Doxography
Remarks:
This work is erroneously attributed to Flavianus. In fact, we are dealing with an anonymous medieval work that cited a Flavianus as one authority among others. It is far from certain that that Flavianus is Nicomachus Flavianus.
Edition - Translation:
  • P. Van Nuffelen, L. Van Hoof (2020) The fragmentary Latin histories of Late Antiquity (A.D. 300-650): Edition, translation and commentary. Cambridge.
Fragments:
  • John of Salisbury, Polycraticus 2.26.8-9, 8.11.43, 8.12.37 [Patrologia Latina 199.460B, 755A, 761A]
Users:
Sources:
Bibliography:
  • Al. Cameron (2011) The last pagans of Rome. Oxford: 545-546.
  • C.J. Nederman (1990) John of Salisbury, Policraticus: Of the frivolities of courtiers and the footprints of philosophers (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought). Cambridge.
  • I. Prchlík (2012) 'Historicus Dissertissimus, but what else? Questions regarding the literary work of Virius Nicomachus Flavianus.' Acta Universitatis Carolinae Philologica: Graecolatina Pragensia 24: 49–63.
  • S. Ratti (2012) Polémiques entre païens et chrétiens. Paris.