Zenobius the Sophist (Ζηνόβιος ὁ Σοφιστής) was a Greek grammarian and teacher of rhetoric active in the 2nd century CE under the Roman Empire [1]. A pupil of the rhetorician Timaeus the Sophist, he is also recorded in the Suda as having taught the emperor Hadrian, indicating his presence in high imperial circles [1][2]. No further biographical details are extant.

His sole known work is a three-book collection titled Proverbs (Παροιμίαι), which he dedicated to an otherwise unknown Agathopus [1]. This compilation organized Greek proverbs alphabetically, often with brief explanations, and drew heavily from earlier collections by Didymus Chalcenterus and Lucillus of Tarrha [1][2]. The original is lost, but a later epitome survives.

Zenobius’s significance lies in his role as a compiler. His collection became a foundational paremiographical text, preserving a vast array of Greek proverbs and popular wisdom [1][2]. The alphabetic organization influenced later Byzantine scholars, and through the surviving epitome, Zenobius served as a crucial link between Hellenistic scholarship and later traditions.

Sources 1. Encyclopædia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Zenobius 2. Suda On Line (via Perseus Digital Library, hosted by Tufts University): https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0054%3Aentry%3Dzhnobi%2Fos