Ἀνώνυμος ἱστορικός (ἀποσπάσματα) (Anonymous Historian (fragments))
Life No biographical information exists for the authors designated as the Anonymous Historian. This is a modern scholarly category for unattributed fragments from lost historical works, produced by multiple unknown authors from the 5th to the 2nd century BCE [1]. These fragments are preserved solely through quotation or paraphrase in later ancient authors, compilers, and scholiasts [1].
Works The 39 referenced texts are individual fragments collected under this categorical heading in modern editions like Die Fragmente der griechischen Historiker or Brill’s New Jacoby. They derive from a range of lost historiographical forms, including local histories (horoi), foundation accounts (ktiseis), and chronicles, all transmitted indirectly.
Significance This corpus provides crucial, often unique, evidence for events, local traditions, and cultural practices not found in major extant historians [1]. The fragments illustrate the broad scope of historical writing in antiquity and are vital for reconstructing lost knowledge and analyzing historiographical methods.
Sources 1. Brill’s New Jacoby, Second Edition (Brill): https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/browse/brill-s-new-jacoby-second-edition 2. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Classics (Oxford University Press): https://oxfordre.com/classics/ 3. Perseus Digital Library (Tufts University): http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/ 4. Encyclopædia Britannica (Britannica): https://www.britannica.com/
Available Works
Sources
- Oxford Research Encyclopedia Entry (Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Classics) Accessed: 2026-01-26
- Perseus Entry (Perseus Digital Library) Accessed: 2026-01-26
- Britannica Entry (Encyclopædia Britannica) Accessed: 2026-01-26