Late Antique Historiography

Epic on Alexandria

Title(s):
  • Epic on Alexandria
Author:
Period covered:
At least Diocletianic persecution.
Language:
Greek
State of Preservation:
Fragmentary
Genre:
  • Poetry (historical epic)
  • Secular history (patria)
Remarks:
Fournet (2003) suggests a fifth-century date for this epic poet. The author was a former advocatus fisci, a higly prestigious post. The epic may have had a local focus on Alexandria, but this is not certain, for it may also have been a patria.
Edition - Translation:
  • L. Stevens (2018) 'The origin of the de Boor fragments ascribed to Philip of Side', Journal of ecclesiastical history 26: 631-657.
  • C. de Boor (1888) Neue Fragmente des Papias, Hegesippus und Pierius in bisher unbekannten Excerpten aus der Kirchengeschichte des Philippus Sidetes (Texte und Untersuchungen, 5.2). Leipzig: 165-184.
  • P. Nautin (1994) 'Théodore Lecteur et sa réunion de différentes Histoires de l'Eglise', Revue des études byzantines 52: 213-243.
Fragments:
Users:
Sources:
Bibliography:
  • J.-L. Fournet (2003) 'Théodore, un poète chrétien alexandrin oublié: L’hexamètre au service de la cause chrétienne'. In: Des géants à Dionysos: Mélanges de mythologie et de poésie grecques offerts à Francis Vian, eds. D. Accorinti, P. Chuvin. Alessandria: 521-539.