eul_aid: qek
Λολλιανός
Lollianus the Erotic Writer
3 works

Lollianus was a Greek author of prose fiction who lived during the Roman Empire, most likely in the 2nd or 3rd century CE. His precise identity and life story are completely unknown. The name Lollianus is Roman, and his work survives only in a few fragments from a single papyrus scroll found in Egypt.

He is known for a single novel, which modern scholars have titled Phoenicica or "Phoenician Story," because its narrative is set in the region of Phoenicia, around the city of Tyre. The date of the papyrus itself suggests the work was written no later than the early 3rd century CE. The attribution to an author named Lollianus comes from a name written on the papyrus, though some scholars debate whether this name refers to the writer, a copyist, or an owner.

Lollianus is historically important as one of the few surviving Greek novelists from the Roman period. His fragments reveal a story that is notably graphic and sensational, featuring scenes of ritual sacrifice and initiation. According to modern scholars, this places his work in a distinct sub-genre of ancient fiction, different from the more idealized romantic adventures of other known novels. The discovery of his text expanded our understanding of the variety and themes present in ancient popular literature.

Available Works

Φοινικικά
Phoenician Matters
1 passages
Φοινικικά
Phoenician Matters
4 passages
Φοινικικά
Phoenician Matters
1 passages

Sources