Uranius the Historian (Οὐράνιος ὁ ἱστορικός) is known only from a single citation in the 6th-century geographical lexicon Ethnica by Stephen of Byzantium [1]. Stephen offers no biography, but the citation’s content and context place Uranius tentatively in the 3rd or 4th century CE [2]. He was a Greek author whose work indicates a focus on the Arabian Peninsula.

His sole attested work is the Arabica (Ἀραβικά), a lost geographical and historical treatise on Arabia. Stephen of Byzantium cites it for the place-name Νάκλα, providing the only evidence of its existence [1].

Uranius’s significance rests on his composition of a dedicated Greek work on Arabia, a region of growing importance to the late Roman Empire. His Arabica represents a link in the tradition of Greek geographical writing about the East, and its citation centuries later confirms it was considered a credible source in Byzantine scholarship [2].

Sources 1. Perseus Digital Library: Entry for "Νάκλα" from Stephen of Byzantium's Ethnica, citing Uranius. http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2013.01.0001%3Aentry%3Dna%2Fkla 2. Brill's New Pauly (via Oxford Research Encyclopedias platform): Entry for "Uranius [3]" confirming the attribution of Arabica and the suggested date. https://oxfordre.com/classics/classics/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-6696