Philostratus of Lemnos

Philostratus of Lemnos, also called Philostratus the Elder, lived around 190 to 230 AD. He was a Greek teacher and writer during the time of the Roman Empire. Philostratus came from the island of Lemnos.

He was probably related to another famous writer named Philostratus of Athens. Some books that were once thought to be written by his uncle are now believed to be by Philostratus of Lemnos himself.

As a sophist, which means he was a skilled speaker and teacher, Philostratus shared important ideas and stories from his time. His work helps us learn about life and culture in the Roman imperial period.

Works

Eikones (Images) describes 64 pictures in a gallery in Naples. Some people think these are real artworks, while others disagree. The book shows how ancient artists portrayed myths and stories, written in a beautiful way. A second set of Images was later made by his grandson.

Heroicus, or On Heroes, talks about heroes from the Trojan War. It is written as a chat between a Thracian worker and a Phoenician trader. The book praises Palamedes and says Homer was unfair to him. Some think this book was written by a different Philostratus from Athens.