Late Antique Historiography

Blemmyomachia

Title(s):
  • Blemmyomachia
  • Fragmentum epicum historicum
  • Panegyric of general Germanus
Author:
Period covered:
Ca. 400
Language:
Greek
State of Preservation:
Partial
Genre:
  • Poetry (historical epic)
  • Poetry (epic panegyric)
Remarks:
This epic or epic panegyric describes a war against the Blemmyes in Egypt. The edition of Steinrück (1999, copied in P. Gen. 4 158) gathers all the fragments of this papyrus that are kept in several modern collections (P. Berol. 5003; P. Gen. inv. 140; Cairo, Society of Coptic Archaeology 140 [= P. Phoib. fr. 1a-b, 2-3, 6a, 11c, 12c]). The work is sometimes ascribed to Olympiodorus of Thebes.
Edition - Translation:
  • M. Steinrück (1999) 'Neues zur Blemyomachie'. Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik 126: 99-114.
  • L.S.B. MacCoull (1981) 'Papyrus fragments from the Monastery of Phoebammon'. In: Proceedings of the Sixteenth International Congress of Papyrology, New York, 24-31 July 1980. Chico: 491-498.
  • E. Livrea (1978) Anonymi fortasse Olympiodori Thebani: Blemyomachia (P.Berol.5003). Meisenheim am Glan.
  • P. Gen. 4 158
Fragments:
Users:
Sources:
Bibliography:
  • LDAB 5938 (= TM 64704)
  • F. Bossi (1975-1977) 'Note alla Blemyomachia'. Museum criticum 10-12: 303-304.
  • N. Kanavou (2015) 'Notes on Blemyomachia (P. Berol. 5003 Ar. + P. Gen. inv. 140 frr. 11a+b + P. Phoib. fr. 11c)'. Tyche 30: 55-60.
  • E. Livrea (1975) 'Contributi al testo della Blemyomachia'. Sileno 1: 281-288 = Livrea, E. (1991) Studia Hellenistica. Volume Two. Florence: 351-356.
  • E. Livrea (1976) 'Chi è l'autore della "Blemyomachia" (P. Berol. 5003)?'. Prometheus 2: 97-123 = Livrea, E. (1991) Studia Hellenistica. Volume Two. Florence: 357-379.
  • L. Miguélez Cavero (2008) Poems in context: Greek poetry in the Egyptian Thebaid, 200-600 A.D. Berlin - New York: esp. 59-61, n. 39.
  • R. Seider (1970) Paläographie der griechischen Papyri. Volume Two. Stuttgart: esp. 160-161, n. 62.
  • E.G. Turner (1977) Typology of the early codex. Philadelphia: esp. 116, n. 318.
  • T. Viljamaa (1968) Studies in Greek encomiastic poetry of the early Byzantine period. Helsinki: esp. 39-40, 47-49.