Phylarchus

Phylarchus (Greek: Φύλαρχoς, Phylarkhos; fl. 3rd century BC) was a Greek historical writer whose works have been lost, but not before having been considerably used by other historians whose works have survived.

Life

Phylarchus was a contemporary of

; Athenaeus calls him^[2] an Athenian or Naucratian. Respecting the date of Phylarchus there is less uncertainty. Polybius ^[3] writes that Phylarchus was a contemporary of Aratus, and gave an account of the same events as the latter did in his history. Aratus died 213 BC, and his work ended at 220 BC, therefore placing Phylarchus at about 215 BC.

His influence

The credit of Phylarchus as an historian is vehemently attacked by Polybius

His style

The style of Phylarchus is strongly censured by Polybius[3], who blames him for writing history for the purpose of effect, and for seeking to harrow up the feelings of his readers by the narrative of deeds of violence and horror. This charge is to some extent supported by the fragments of his work; but whether he deserves all the reprehension which Polybius has bestowed upon him may well be questioned, since the unpoetical character of this great historian's mind would not enable him to feel much sympathy with a writer like Phylarchus, who seems to have possessed no small share of imagination and fancy. It would appear that the style of Phylarchus was too ambitious; it was oratorical, and perhaps declamatory; but at the same time it was lively and attractive, and brought the events of the history vividly before the reader's mind. He was, however, very negligent in the arrangement of his words, as Dionysius has remarked.^[6]

His known works

The following six works are attributed to Phylarchus by the Suda: —

• Histories (Iστoριαι), in 28 books, which were by far the most important of his writings. This work is thus described by the Suda: — "The expedition of Pyrrhus of
  Aegypt, Cyrene
  , and the other states of the time; and in narrating the history of Greece, Phylarchus paid particular attention to that of Cleomenes and the Spartans.
• The story of Antiochus and Eumenes of Pergamum (Tα κατα τoν Aντιoχoν και τoν Περγαμηνoν Eυμενη), was probably a portion of the preceding work, since the war between the
  Attalid Eumenes I and the Seleucid Antiochus I Soter was hardly of sufficient importance to give rise to a separate history, and that between Eumenes II and Antiochus III the Great
  was subsequent to the time of Phylarchus.
• Epitome of myth on the apparition of Zeus, was one work, although cited by the Suda as two: the general title was Epitome mythike, and that of the first part Peri tes tou Dios epiphaneias.
• On discoveries, on which subject Ephorus and Philochorus also wrote.
• Digressions.
• Agrapha, not mentioned by the Suda, and only by the
  Scholiast on Aelius Aristides^[8]
  , was probably a work on the more abstruse points of mythology, of which no written account had ever been given.

References

• Polybius; Histories, Evelyn S. Shuckburgh (translator); London - New York, (1889)
• Smith, William (editor); Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, "Philarchus", Boston, (1867)

Notes

Constructs such as named references (quick guide), or an abbreviated title. (November 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this template message )

References

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Phylarchus". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 21 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1870). Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

External links

• Phylarchus:Fragments English translation at attalus.org