Herodianus

(Ἡρωδιανός), a writer on Roman history. He was a Greek, though he appears to have lived for a considerable period in Rome, but without holding any public office. From his work, which is still extant, we gather that he was still living at an advanced age in the reign of Gordianus III., who ascended the throne A. D. 238. Beyond this we know nothing respecting his life. Works History

His history extends over the period from the death of M. Aurelius (A. D. 180) to the commencement of the reign of Gordianus III. (A. D. 238), and bears the title, Ἡρωδιανοῦ τῆς μετὰ Μάρκον Βασιλείας ἱστοριῶν Βιβλία ὀκτώ. He himself informs us (1.1.3, 2.15.7) that the events of this period had occurred in his own lifetime. Photius (Phot. Bibl. 99) gives an outline of the contents of the work, and passes a flattering encomium on the style of Herodian, which he describes as clear, vigorous and agreeable, preserving a happy medium between an utter disregard of art and elegance and a profuse employment of the artifices and prettinesses which were known under the name of Atticism, as well as between boldness and bombast ; adding that not many historical writers are his superiors. He appears to have had Thucydides before him to some extent as a model, both for style and for the general composition of his work, like him. introducing here and there speeches wholly or in part imaginary. In spite of occasional inaccuracies in chronology and geography, his narrative is in the main truthful and impartial; though Julius Capitolinus (Maxim. duo, 100.13) says of him, Maximino in odium Alexandri plurimum favit. Others also charge him with showing too great a partiality for Pertinax. Editions

The best editions of Herodian are those by Irmisch, Leipzig, 1789-1805, 5 vols. 8vo.; by F. A. Wolf, Halle, 1792, 8vo.; and by Bekker, Berlin, 1826. Notices of other editions will be found in Fabricius (Bibl. Graec. vol. vi. p. 287, &c.) and Hoffmann (Lex. Bibl. vol. ii. p. 362, &c.). Editions

Wolf's Narratio de Herodiano et Libro ejus, prefixed to his edition of Herodian; Vossius, de Hist. Graec. p. 284, ed. Westermann. [C.P.M]

(Αἴλιος Ἡρωδιανός), one of the most celebrated grammarians of antiquity. He was the son of Apollonius Dyscolus [Apollonius], and was born at Alexandria. From that place he appears to have removed to Rome, where he gained the favour of the emperor Marcus Aurelius, to whom he dedicated his work on prosody. No further biographical particulars are known respecting him. Works

The estimation in which he was held by subsequent grammarians was very great. Priscian styles him maximus auctor artis grammaticae. He was a very voluminous writer; but to give any thing like a correct list of his works (of which we possess only a few fragmentary portions) is very difficult; as in numerous instances it is impossible to determine whether the titles given by writers who quoted or epitomised his works were the titles of distinct treatises, or only of portions of some of his larger works. The following appear to have been distinct works :-- 1. Περὶ Ὀρθογραφίας

Περὶ Ὀρθολραφίας, in three books, treating of ποσότης, ποιότης, and σύνταξις. 2. Περὶ Συντάξεως Στοιχείων

Περὶ Συντάξεως Στοιχείων. 3. Περὶ Παθῶν

Περὶ Παθῶν, on the changes undergone by syllables and letters. 4. Συμπόδιον

Συμπόδιον, written during a residence at Puteoli. 5. Περὶ Γάμου καὶ Συμβιώσεως

Περὶ Γάμου καὶ Συμβιώσεως. 6. Προτάσεις

Προτάσεις, of which we know something through the Λίσεις Προτάσεων τῶν Ἡρωδιανοῖ, written by the grammarian Orus. 7. Ὀνοματικά

Ὀνοματικά. All the above works have entirely perished. The passages where they are quoted, with the names of some other treatises of less note, will be found in Fabricius (Bibl. Graec. vol. vi. p. 282, &c.). 8. Ἐπιμερισμοί

Ἐπιμερισμοί. This work was devoted to the explanation of difficult, obscure, and doubtful words, and of peculiar forms found in Homer. Editions

A meagre compilation from this highly valuable work was published from Parisian MSS. by J. F. Boissonade, London, 1819.

Another abstract, which appears to give a better idea of the original work, is the Ἐπιμερισμοί, published in Cramer's Anecdota Gr. Oxon. vol. i.

Several important quotations from this work are also found scattered in different parts of the scholia on Homer. The Σχηματισμοὶ Ὁμηρικοί, appended by Sturz to his edition of the Etymologicum Gudianum, appears also to belong to the Ἐπιμερισμοί of Herodianus. An Ὁμηρική Προσῳδία, of which we find mention, may also have been a portion of it; but, like the Ἀττικὴ Προσῳδία, and Ἀνόμαλος Προσῳδία (neither of which is extant), more probably belonged to the great work on prosody. 9. Ἡ καθʼ Ὅλου

Ἡ καθʼ Ὅλου, or Καθολικὴ Προσῳδία (called also Μεγάλη Προσῳδία), in twenty books. This work also was held in great repute by the successors of Herodianus. It seems to have embraced not merely prosody, but most of those subjects now included in the etymological portion of grammar. An abstract of it was made by the grammarian Aristodemus, which, like the original work has perished. Another epitome is extant in a MS. in the Bodleian library (Cod. Barocc. clxxix.), and an index of the subjects of the different books in Cod. Matrit. xxxvii. The treatise Περὶ Τόνων, published under the name of Arcadius, but which was compiled by a later grammarian, Theodosius of Byzantium, seems also to be an extract from the Προσῳδία of Herodianus. 10. Περὶ Μονήρους Λέξεως

Περὶ Μονήρους Λέξεως, on monosyllabic words. Editions

Published by Dindorf. (Grammat. Graec. vol. i.) This is probably the only complete treatise of Herodianus that we possess. 11. Περὶ Διχρόνων Editions

Περὶ Διχρόνων, portions of which are extant in Bekker (Anecd. p. 1438), and Cramer (Anecd. Oxon. iii. p. 282, &c.). Other works

The names of a few other treatises are enumerated by Fabricius, but it is very likely that many of them were merely portions of greater works. The following fragments (either of distinct treatises or of different portions of his larger works) have also been preserved: 1. Περὶ τῶν ἀριθμῶν

Περὶ τῶν ἀριθμῶν. Editions

In Gaza's Introd. Gramm. Venice, 1495, and in the glossaries attached to the Thesaurus of Stephanus. 2. Παρεκβολαὶ μεγάλου Ῥήματος.

Παρεκβολαὶ μεγάλου Ῥήματος. 3. Παραλωλαὶ δυσκλίτων Ῥημάτων

Παραλωλαὶ δυσκλίτων Ῥημάτων. 4. Περὶ Ἐλκλινομένων καὶ Ἐγκλιτικᾶν καὶ Συνεγκλιτικῶν Μορίων

Περὶ Ἐλκλινομένων καὶ Ἐγκλιτικᾶν καὶ Συνεγκλιτικῶν Μορίων. Editions

These three are preserved in the Thesaurus Cornucop. et Horti Adon. Venice, 1496, and the last of them in Bekker's Anecdota, iii. p. 1142. 5. Ζητούμενα κατὰ Κλίσιν παντὸς τῶν τοῦ Λόγου Μερῶν

Ζητούμενα κατὰ Κλίσιν παντὸς τῶν τοῦ Λόγου Μερῶν (in Cramer's Anecdota Oxon. iii. p. 246, &c.). 6. Περὶ Παραγωγῶν Γενικῶν ἀπὸ Διαλεκτῶν, and Περὶ Κλίσεως Ὀνομάτων Editions

in Cramer's An. Oaon. iii. p. 228, &c.. 7. Two fragments, Περὶ Βαρβαρισμοῦ καὶ Σολοικισμοῦ

Two fragments, Περὶ Βαρβαρισμοῦ καὶ Σολοικισμοῦ Editions

appended to Valckenaer's edition of Ammonius, and in the appendices of the Thesaurus of Stephanus. The latter of them also in Boissonade's Anecdota, iii. p. 241. 8. Ἐκ τῶν Ἡρωδιανοῦ

A fragment, entitled simply Ἐκ τῶν Ἡρωδιανοῦ Editions

In Bachmann's Anecdota Graeca, ii. p. 402, and elsewhere. 9. Φιλέταιρος Editions

Appended to Pierson's edition of Moeris, and also published separately at Leipzig, 1831. 10. Περὶ Σχημάτων

Περὶ Σχημάτων Editions

In Viiloison's Anecd. Gr. ii. p. 87. 11. Περὶ τῆς Λέξεως τῶν Στίχων Editions

In Villoison, Anecd. vol. ii., and the appendix to Draco Stratonicensis, Leipzig, 1814. 12. Κανόνες περὶ Συλλαβῶν Ἐκτάσεως καὶ Συστολῆς διαλαμβάνοντες

Κανόνες περὶ Συλλαβῶν Ἐκτάσεως καὶ Συστολῆς διαλαμβάνοντες (extant in a Parisian MS. according to Bast, Répertoire de Lit. anc. p. 415. 13. Περὶ Αὐθυποτακτῶν καὶ Ἀνθυποτακτῶν

Περὶ Αὐθυποτακτῶν καὶ Ἀνθυποτακτῶν Editions

In Bekker's Anecd. iii. p. 1086. 14. Περὶ Ἀκυρολογιας

Περὶ Ἀκυρολογιας Editions

In Boissonade's Anecd. 3.262, &c., and Cramer's Anecd. iii. p. 263, &c., where some other less important fragments will be found). There are a few more fragments, not worth mentioning here. Further information

Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vi. pp. 278, &c.) [C.P.M]

a general under the emperor Justinian. [Justinianus.]

(Ἡρωδιανός). (1) The author of an extant history, in the Greek language, of the Roman Empire, in eight books, from the death of Marcus Aurelius to the commencement of the reign of Gordianus III. (A.D. 180-238). He states that the events described by him occurred during the period of his own life, which serves to fix his date, but of the details of his career nothing is known. He seems to have made Thucydides his model, and his narrative is characterized by sobriety, impartiality, and in general by accuracy. His style is good in spite of numerous Latinisms. There are editions by Bekker (1855) and Mendelssohn (1883). See Kreuzer, De Herodiani Vita, etc. (1881); and on the language and style, the treatise of P. Schmidt, Die Syntax des Historikers Herodian, pt. i. (1891); pt. ii. (1893).

(2) Aelius. A celebrated grammarian, son of Apollonius Dyscolus, and a native of Alexandria, from which place he went to Rome, where he secured the favour of the emperor Marcus Aurelius, to whom he dedicated his work on prosody (Καθολικὴ Προσῳδία), in twentyone books. His reputation in antiquity was very great, so that Priscian styles him maximus auctor artis grammaticae. Of his numerous works, only fragmentary selections now exist, largely in citations in other grammarians. These are enumerated by Fabricius (Bibl. Graec. vi. pp. 278 foll.), and edited by Lentz, with indexes, in 2 vols. (Leipzig, 1870). See Lehrs, Herodiani Scripta Tria (Königsberg, 1848); Hiller, Quaestiones Herodianae (Bonn, 1866); Hilgard, Excerpta ex Libris Herodiani (Leipzig, 1887); and Stephan, De Herodiani Technici Dialectologia (Strassburg, 1889).