Claudius Iolaus the Historian (Κλαύδιος Ἰολᾶος ὁ ἱστορικός) was a historian of the 1st century CE. His name indicates he was likely an imperial freedman of the gens Claudia [1]. No details of his life, birthplace, or career survive.

His sole known work is the Phoenician History (Φοινικικὰ Ἱστορίαι), which is now lost and preserved only in fragments [1].

Iolaus is significant as a source for later scholars. His fragments were used by authors like Stephanus of Byzantium for geographical and mythological material [1]. As a probable freedman writing history, he represents a distinct social stratum within Roman literary culture, and his work contributes to the corpus of fragmentary historiography treating non-Greek antiquities.

Sources 1. ToposText: https://topostext.org/people/1410