Philostratos of Alexandreia (1275)

This article examines the fragmentary evidence for Philostratos of Alexandreia, the author of the lost treatise On the Plagiarisms of Sophocles. It reassesses the testimonia concerning his identity, chronology, and scholarly activity, discussing the possible identification with the Alexandrian sophist associated with Cleopatra's court. Particular attention is devoted to the treatise's scope, its apparent concern with questions of authenticity and literary borrowing, and its place within the ancient tradition of philological criticism. The study argues that Philostratos' work represents an important example of Hellenistic and early Imperial scholarship devoted to the textual transmission and authenticity of Greek tragedy.