Pamphile of Epidaurus
Encyclopedia
Pamphile of Epidaurus
was an historian who lived in the reign of Nero
. According to the Suda
she was an Epidaurian; Photius describes her as an Egyptian by birth or descent, which may be reconciled by supposing that she was a native of Epidaurus, and that her family came from Egypt. Photius summarizes the preface to her work, in which we learn that during the thirteen years she had lived with her husband, from whom she was never absent for a single hour, she was constantly at work upon her book, and that she diligently wrote down whatever she heard from her husband and from the many other learned people who frequented their house, as well as whatever she herself read in books. Hence we can account for the statement in the Suda that some people ascribed her work to her husband. The name of her husband is differently stated. In one passage the Suda speaks of her as the daughter of Soteridas
and the wife of Socratidas, but in another passage she is described as the wife of Soteridas.
The principal work of Pamphile was the Historical Commentaries, a history of Greece
comprising thirty-three books. Photius gives a general idea of the nature of its contents. The work was not arranged according to subjects or according to any settled plan, but it was more like a commonplace book, in which each piece of information was set down as it fell under the notice of the writer, who stated that she believed this variety would give greater pleasure to the reader. Photius considers the work as one of great use, and supplying important information on many points in history and literature. The estimation in which it was held in antiquity is shown not only by the judgment of Photius, but also by the references to it in the works of Aulus Gellius
and Diogenes Laërtius
, who appear to have availed themselves of it to a considerable extent. Photius speaks only of eight books but the Suda says that it consisted of thirty-three. The latter must be correct, since we find Gellius quoting the eleventh and twenty-ninth, and Diogenes Laertius the twenty-fifth and thirty-second. Perhaps no more than eight books were extant in the time of Photius. The work is also referred to by Diogenes Laërtius in other passages.
Besides the history already mentioned, the Suda says she also wrote an Epitome of Ctesias in 3 books; a very large number of epitomes of histories and other books; On Disputes; On Sex; and many other works.
Epidaurus
Epidaurus was a small city in ancient Greece, at the Saronic Gulf. Two modern towns bear the name Epidavros : Palaia Epidavros and Nea Epidavros. Since 2010 they belong to the new municipality of Epidavros, part of the peripheral unit of Argolis...
was an historian who lived in the reign of Nero
Nero
Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....
. According to the Suda
Suda
The Suda or Souda is a massive 10th century Byzantine encyclopedia of the ancient Mediterranean world, formerly attributed to an author called Suidas. It is an encyclopedic lexicon, written in Greek, with 30,000 entries, many drawing from ancient sources that have since been lost, and often...
she was an Epidaurian; Photius describes her as an Egyptian by birth or descent, which may be reconciled by supposing that she was a native of Epidaurus, and that her family came from Egypt. Photius summarizes the preface to her work, in which we learn that during the thirteen years she had lived with her husband, from whom she was never absent for a single hour, she was constantly at work upon her book, and that she diligently wrote down whatever she heard from her husband and from the many other learned people who frequented their house, as well as whatever she herself read in books. Hence we can account for the statement in the Suda that some people ascribed her work to her husband. The name of her husband is differently stated. In one passage the Suda speaks of her as the daughter of Soteridas
Soteridas of Epidaurus
Soteridas was a grammarian from Epidaurus, and the husband of Pamphile. He wrote a work on Orthography, Homeric Enquiries, a Commentary on Menander, On Metres, On Comedy, and a Commentary on Euripides. Pamphile's historical work was ascribed by some to him...
and the wife of Socratidas, but in another passage she is described as the wife of Soteridas.
The principal work of Pamphile was the Historical Commentaries, a history of Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
comprising thirty-three books. Photius gives a general idea of the nature of its contents. The work was not arranged according to subjects or according to any settled plan, but it was more like a commonplace book, in which each piece of information was set down as it fell under the notice of the writer, who stated that she believed this variety would give greater pleasure to the reader. Photius considers the work as one of great use, and supplying important information on many points in history and literature. The estimation in which it was held in antiquity is shown not only by the judgment of Photius, but also by the references to it in the works of Aulus Gellius
Aulus Gellius
Aulus Gellius , was a Latin author and grammarian, who was probably born and certainly brought up in Rome. He was educated in Athens, after which he returned to Rome, where he held a judicial office...
and Diogenes Laërtius
Diogenes Laertius
Diogenes Laertius was a biographer of the Greek philosophers. Nothing is known about his life, but his surviving Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers is one of the principal surviving sources for the history of Greek philosophy.-Life:Nothing is definitively known about his life...
, who appear to have availed themselves of it to a considerable extent. Photius speaks only of eight books but the Suda says that it consisted of thirty-three. The latter must be correct, since we find Gellius quoting the eleventh and twenty-ninth, and Diogenes Laertius the twenty-fifth and thirty-second. Perhaps no more than eight books were extant in the time of Photius. The work is also referred to by Diogenes Laërtius in other passages.
Besides the history already mentioned, the Suda says she also wrote an Epitome of Ctesias in 3 books; a very large number of epitomes of histories and other books; On Disputes; On Sex; and many other works.