Pseudo-Lucian (Ψευδο-Λουκιανός) is the modern scholarly designation for the anonymous author or authors of works spuriously attributed to the 2nd-century satirist Lucian of Samosata [1]. These texts originate from the broader era of the Second Sophistic, a period of revived Greek rhetoric and Atticizing style under Roman rule [3]. The authors were likely imitators or contemporaries working within Lucian’s literary tradition.

The corpus includes numerous doubtful works, such as Amores (Ἔρωτες), a discourse on love and gender [1][4]; Cynicus (Κυνικός), a dialogue defending Cynicism [1][5]; Philopatris (Φιλοπατρίς), a later dialogue with Christian allusions [1][6]; Halcyon (Ἀλκυών), on the myth of the halcyon [1][7]; and Podagra (Ποδάγρα), a comic tragedy about gout [8]. Other spurious works include Demosthenis Encomium, Charidemus, Nero, Epigrammata, and Ocypus [1].

The significance of the Pseudo-Lucianic corpus lies in demonstrating Lucian’s posthumous influence and the practice of literary imitation in antiquity. It preserves texts reflecting the philosophical, rhetorical, and social themes of the Roman Empire, with individual works serving as important sources for studies on ancient sexuality, philosophy, and early Christian-pagan interactions [4][6].

Sources 1. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Lucian of Samosata): https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/lucian-samosata/ 2. Encyclopædia Britannica (Lucian): https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lucian 3. World History Encyclopedia (Second Sophistic): https://www.worldhistory.org/Second_Sophistic/ 4. Perseus Digital Library (Lucian, Amores): http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0409 5. Perseus Digital Library (Lucian, Cynicus): http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0412 6. Perseus Digital Library (Lucian, Philopatris): http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0433 7. Perseus Digital Library (Lucian, Halcyon): http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0420 8. ToposText (Lucian, Podagra): https://topostext.org/work/206