Oppian of Anazarbus (Ὀππιανὸς ὁ Ἀναζαρβηνός) was a Greek didactic epic poet of the 2nd century CE, a native of Anazarbus in Cilicia [1]. Details of his life derive from a legendary biography and his own work. Tradition holds he presented his poem to the emperors Marcus Aurelius and Commodus in Rome, a story used to date his activity [1][2]. He is often conflated with a later poet, Oppian of Corycus, author of the Cynegetica, a confusion recorded in the Suda [1][3].

His sole surviving work is the Halieutica (Ἁλιευτικά, "On Fishing"), a five-book didactic epic in Homeric hexameters on marine life and fishing methods [1][2][4].

Oppian’s significance rests on his contribution to imperial Greek didactic poetry. The Halieutica is a valuable source for ancient marine biology and fishing lore, blending mythology with natural observation [1][4]. His work exemplifies the sophisticated Greek literary culture sustained under the Roman Empire.

Sources 1. Encyclopædia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Oppian 2. Perseus Digital Library: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0479 3. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Classics: https://oxfordre.com/classics/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-4567 4. ToposText: https://topostext.org/work/529