About Philostratus of Lemnos
Lived 190 – 230 (aged 39–40). Philostratus of Lemnos was a writer, orator and sophist.
Philostratus of Lemnos (; c. 190 – c. 230 AD), also known as Philostratus the Elder to distinguish him from Philostratus the Younger who was also from Lemnos, was a Greek sophist of the Roman imperial period. He was probably a nephew of the sophist Philostratus of Athens, and is credited with two books formerly attributed to his uncle.
Works Eikones (, Images or Imagines) is ostensibly a description of 64 pictures in a Neapolitan gallery. Goethe, Welcker, Brunn, E. Bertrand and Helbig, among others, have held that the descriptions are of actually existing works of art, while Heyne and Friederichs deny this. In any case they are interesting as showing the way in which ancient artists treated mythological and other subjects, and are written with artistic knowledge and in attractive language. A second series of Imagines was produced by his grandson.
Philostratus the Younger certainly wrote the 2nd series of Eikones and in the foreword, thanked Philostratus the Elder for the 1st series so eventually attributed to him instead of Philostratus of Athens as previously attributed.
Heroicus, or On Heroes, is a popular disquisition on the heroes of the Trojan War. Written in the form of a conversation between a Thracian vine-dresser on the shore of the Hellespont and a Phoenician merchant who derives his knowledge from the hero Protesilaus, Palamedes is exalted at the expense of Odysseus, and Homer's unfairness to him is attacked. It has been suggested that Philostratus is here describing a series of heroic paintings in the palace of Julia Domna.
The work Heroicus traditionally attributed to Philostratus of Athens, but is now more commonly attributed to this Philostratus.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Philostratus of Lemnos's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Philostratus of Lemnos's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Philostratus of Lemnos?
3rd century Greek sophist and author
When was Philostratus of Lemnos born?
Philostratus of Lemnos was born in 190 in Lemnos.
When did Philostratus of Lemnos die?
Philostratus of Lemnos died in 230 in Lemnos.
What was Philostratus of Lemnos's occupation?
Philostratus of Lemnos was a writer, orator and sophist.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Philostratus of Lemnos
· DBpedia: Philostratus of Lemnos
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Philostratus of Lemnos. https://biography.guide/philostratus-of-lemnos/
MLA: "Philostratus of Lemnos." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/philostratus-of-lemnos/.
Chicago: "Philostratus of Lemnos." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/philostratus-of-lemnos/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:02 UTC