Apollodorus
1st or 2nd century AD (author unknown) · Unknown ancient author whose Library, a handbook of the Greek myths from the creation to Odysseus, has come down under the name Apollodorus.
Apollodorus is the name attached to the Library, or Bibliotheca, a handbook that retells the Greek myths from the beginning of the world to the death of Odysseus. Nothing is known about its author, and even his name is uncertain. Some manuscripts call the author Apollodorus, and for centuries readers took him to be Apollodorus of Athens, a scholar born about 180 BC who studied under Aristarchus and wrote on mythology. That identification is now known to be mistaken: the Library cites Castor of Rhodes, usually dated to the first century BC, so it must be later. Scholars generally date it to the first or second century AD and sometimes call its author Pseudo-Apollodorus. He gathered stories from Homer, Hesiod, the Athenian playwrights and other poets, arranged by family trees. Photius, patriarch of Constantinople, read the complete work in the ninth century. The main manuscripts break off in the story of Theseus, but two manuscripts discovered in the nineteenth century preserve a shortened version of the rest.
Apollodorus is also an author in the library: author page and works.
Faith: Faith not well documented; the author is unknown. Source: Wikipedia
Key dates
- c. 180 BC Birth of Apollodorus of Athens, to whom the Library was long wrongly credited
- 1st–2nd century AD The Library is probably compiled (date uncertain)
- 9th century Photius, patriarch of Constantinople, reads and describes the complete work
- 12th century The Byzantine scholar John Tzetzes cites it often
- 1555 First printed edition published in Rome
- 19th century Two manuscripts preserving a shortened form of the lost ending are discovered
Fun facts
- The first printed edition of the Library was published in Rome in 1555. (Source: Bibliotheca (Apollodorus) (Wikipedia))
In their words
“Sky was the first who ruled over the whole world.”
Read about them
Grades 9–12
- The Library (Bibliotheca) · In the library
More lives
Aeschylus · Aesop · Apollonius of Rhodes · Apuleius · Aristophanes · Euripides
Notes: The author's identity is unknown; the name Apollodorus comes from the manuscripts, and the 1st-2nd century AD date is a scholarly estimate. The died value 200 is a placeholder used only for ordering. The wikipedia link points to the article on the Bibliotheca, since there is no article on its author.